Strange fruit

Can you recognize this fruit? Apple, right?
No, guess again. Peach? No.
This vaguely familiar-looking fruit is actually cashew fruit.

This is how it looks on the tree, before it gets ripe.
Now you recognize the distinct shape of the cashewnut, a strange aberration of nature that allows the seed to grow outside the fruit. And what a delicious nut it is. Plain, roasted, salted or as a garnish for sweets, it is a delectable nut.
But have you tried eating the ripe red fruit?

I tried it today. Yuck!!!

It did not have a special smell, looked totally like an apple but had a weird taste. A little sour, with a milky mouth-feel, probably tasted like spoilt paneer.

It struck me then that my little experiment today mirrored the nature of life. What disappoints us most is the mismatch with our expectation, not so much the experience per se. I am sure there are people who savor cashew fruit but they know (and perhaps like) the taste, while I was totally taken by surprise.

Many times we also hanker for the fruit of our efforts, judging success by what is out there, the obvious, tangible stuff that everyone else treasures. But public symbols of success are like the cashew fruit, pretty to look at but not always palatable. The kernel of success is the seed, the delightful cashewnut which is visible but not as showy. It does not have style but sure has substance.

The cashew tree was my teacher today. It reminded me to look at things differently in order to find the truth.