The Golden Globes

Come April, summer is here. The frangipani and laburnum in bloom, the strong scent of jasmine and roses, rising in the air. The riotous bougainvillea draping most balconies, adorning their homes. The resplendent colours of jacaranda and Gulmohar, lining the avenues, enrich the city. Green leaves and colourful flowers everywhere, a delight to our eyes.

The earth, dry under the blazing sun, waiting to be watered and nourished, welcomes the April Showers. The accompanying cool breeze, a respite for us, from the scorching heat. Feathering their nests, hatching their eggs, the birds are busy, tending to their young .Their song, each unique, their notes so different yet so perfect in harmony, as they fill the long summer’s day with a beautiful symphony.

The trees are heavy laden with an exotic array of fruits. Avocados and mangoes, are commonly seen, in most gardens. The laburnum in my small patch of green, is an unimpressive , midsized tree, yet a shade to many, growing under her canopy . Home to little birds and chipmunks, she stands there, braving the strong sun. For eleven months in the year, unassuming and ordinary, with nothing to boast about .

She knows every little bird that comes to roost, or rest awhile on her boughs. Every colourful butterfly that alights, every bee and wasp that buzzes around.. Her worst nightmare is the month of March, when her leaves drop, leaving her bare and ugly. Yet still she despairs not but strives to offer shelter for those who depend on her.

She may stand unappealing and unattractive, for all but one month. But she knows that is no reason to give up . She continues to cast her shade, to house the homeless and feed the hungry. She relies on her strength and the knowledge, that the splendour of her bloom is yet to come ,her golden globes that can be compared to none !

She envies not the towering palm that bears fruit, all through the year, nor the mango tree that bears the king of fruits and whose leaves are sought, for every occasion. For when April comes, she is aglow! Clothed in silver green and the golden globes, she is the cynosure of all eyes, not ignored anymore. She is after all the winner, the winner of The Golden Globe !