A beautiful village teeming with creepy crawlies, bunnies, puppies and butterflies, had a huge tree at its centre with long branches, fresh flowers and lush dense green leaves. Its shade covered a wider span of area, such that, the elderly sat under its shade at the peak of the day’s heat to enjoy the chillness of the shade. Birds made nests in its boughs, squirrels swung and chameleons camouflaged. There was life all around the huge tree. During sunset, kids enjoyed playing with their friends which brought forth a spirit of joy and happiness amidst them. The tree turned to be a landmark to identify the beautiful village. Its shade turned to be the place where a bond of friendship nurtured amidst the families of the village. Years rolled by. One fine morning, there aired a warning on the radio news stations, “a cyclone is expected to hit the neighbouring village that night and so the villagers were advised to stay intact inside their houses”. It also said, “the neighbouring village will be affected badly, there will be mild wind in this village and so there was nothing to panic; still stay indoors as a precautionary measure.”

The villagers curled on to sleep while the neighbouring village was badly struck by the cyclone. Though the wind was mild and gentle at their village, they had the shock of their lives when they woke up. To their great shock, the huge tree which carved a niche for itself all these as an epitome of greatness, nurturing countless relationships and bestowing joy upon little hearts was collapsed and torn down to the ground totally. The birds which nested here so far turned homeless, kids had no better shade to run around and the senior citizens lost their favourite lobby! When the officials investigated on the cause for the huge strong tree to be torn down to a gentle wind, one of the experienced woodcutters clearing the branches took him to show the almost hollow trunk of the huge tree. Further analysis brought them to the conclusion that, over a couple of years or so, a teeny-weeny termite had begun to eat the trunk of the tree which now had become totally hollow. Though the tree was thriving with life and actions outwardly, the inward unseen vacuum ultimately couldn’t withstand even a gentle breeze. The fall was outward, bringing shame to the core.

"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Proverbs 4: 23