The Life of a Banana Leaf: A Philosophical Reflection on Existence, Impermanence, and Return

Brian Sankarsingh's contemplates banana trees and life

I was born in the tiny republic of Trinidad and Tobago and every year my partner and I make our way home to celebrate her mother’s birthday. I am an early riser and oftentimes that means I am one of the few people awake in the household. I use those times to gather my thoughts, plan my day or sometimes just think about life. One morning I sat looking at a banana tree next door. The leaves of the tree were all ripped and tattered. I started to wonder about the benefit of the leaf starting out whole and over time getting shredded by wind and rain. “What a strange evolutionary quirk. What use was it to the plant,” I wondered. As the rest of the household stirred from sleep and made their way downstairs, I decided to ask about this. My brilliant brother-in-law Rana Mohip offered an explanation. It was his inspired analysis that led to this article.

In the quiet embrace of the tropical sun, a banana leaf unfurls itself, stretching toward the heavens with a quiet and unbridled confidence. It is whole, unbroken, and radiant in its verdant glory. To the casual observer, it is simply a part of a plant, a functional appendage designed for photosynthesis and shade. But to the leaf itself—if it could perceive its own existence—it is a universe unto itself, a microcosm of life’s fleeting beauty and inevitable decay. Through the eyes of a banana leaf, we glimpse the profound truths of existence: the inevitability of change, the beauty of impermanence, and the cyclical nature of life and death.

When the banana leaf first emerges, it is a singular entity, a long, unbroken blade that sways gently in the Caribbean breeze. It is a symbol of potential, a testament to the life force that courses through the plant. In its youth, the leaf is strong and supple, capable of withstanding the elements. It’s bright green colour signals its youth and veracity. Our beautiful leaf serves its purpose with quiet dignity, providing shade for the fruit, shelter for the insects, and sustenance for the plant itself. In this stage, the leaf embodies the unity of existence—a reminder that all life begins as a singular whole, unblemished by the fractures that time and existence inevitably bring.

But even in its wholeness, the leaf carries within it the seeds of its own transformation. The first faint lines that will one day become splits are already present, etched into its surface like the faint whispers of fate. The leaf does not resist this destiny; it simply is. It exists in the present moment, a living testament to the beauty of being. As time passes, the banana leaf begins to split. The once-unified blade fractures into segments, each one still connected to the whole but now, distinct in its individuality. This process is not a tragedy but a natural progression, a reflection of the way life itself unfolds. Just as the leaf splits, so too do our lives fracture into myriad experiences, relationships, and identities. As the leaf we do better to not judge the negative or positive of these experiences; as the leaf, we simply acknowledge them, learn from them and move on with our life journey. We are no longer the unbroken whole of our youth, but a collection of parts, each shaped by the winds of time and the weight of our experiences. The splits in the banana leaf are not signs of weakness but of resilience. They allow the leaf to bend without breaking, to adapt to the forces that seek to tear it apart. In this way, the leaf teaches us that fragmentation is not the opposite of wholeness but a new form of it. We are not diminished by our fractures; we are transformed by them. Each split is a story, a memory, a lesson learned. Together, they form the tapestry of our existence.

Eventually, the banana leaf’s time on the branch comes to an end. It withers, its vibrant green fading to a brittle broken brown. The wind tugs at it, and one day, it falls away from the tree. There, it becomes part of the soil, nourishing the very plant from which it sprang. In its death, the leaf completes the cycle of life, returning to the source of its being. This return is not an end but a continuation. The leaf’s journey is a reminder that life and death are not opposites but two sides of the same coin. What dies is reborn in another form, just as the leaf’s decay feeds the roots of the banana plant, ensuring the growth of new leaves, new life. In this way, the leaf embodies the eternal cycle of existence, a cycle in which every ending is a beginning, and every loss is a gain.

Through the eyes of a banana leaf, we see the essence of our own lives. We are witness to its beauty, its impermanence, and its interconnectedness. The leaf does not cling to its wholeness, nor does it fear its fractures. It does not mourn its fall but embraces it as part of its journey. In its simplicity, the leaf offers us a profound lesson: to live is to change, to grow, and to return. We, too, are like the banana leaf. We begin as whole, unbroken beings, full of potential and promise. Over time, we are shaped by the forces of life, fractured by our experiences, and transformed by our journeys. And in the end, we return to the source, our individual lives merging once more with the greater whole.

The banana leaf does not ask why it exists or what its purpose is. It simply is, and in its being, it fulfills its role in the grand tapestry of life. Perhaps, then, the greatest wisdom we can glean from the banana leaf is this – when we live our lives fully, we embrace the present, to accept the inevitability of change, and to find beauty in every stage of the journey—from the first unfurling to the final return to the earth.

Ode to a Banana Leaf

Oh, verdant blade, so bold, so bright
You stretch toward the sky and light
A newborn thing, unbroken and whole
A silent song springs from your soul

But time, she weaves and spins her thread
And soon your seams are softly spread
Your once whole body now stands torn
But still you do not grieve or mourn

No longer one, yet not undone 
Tattered tapestry beneath the sun 
Each crack, a tale of storms endured
Each fray, a mark of strength assured

Then comes the day, so slow and sure
When life no longer feeds your core 
You fade to gold, then brown, then dust
And yield at last to earth’s deep trust

You fall, you sleep, and feed the ground
Where roots drink deep without a sound
And from the soil, new leaves will rise 
To greet the blue of endless skies

From your green heart life’s lessons flow
So all who ponder will come to know 
Thus from the humble banana tree
We experience life’s philosophy

Oh, transient heart, so brief, so wise
You teach me how to live and die
To bend, to split, to laugh, to grieve
Then melt into the world’s great weave

Bio: BRIAN SANKARSINGH is a two-time award-winning poet and author. He is a Trinidadian-born Canadian immigrant who has published several books of poetry on a wide range of social and historical themes including racism, colonialism, and enslavement. Sankarsingh artfully blends prose and poetry into his storytelling creating an eclectic mix with both genres. This unique approach is sure to provide something for everyone.

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