The Parijat Tree
It is a bright Sunday morning. Little Shinu gets up and opens the door to balcony which is next to her bedroom. She starts her day with greeting a Parijat tree that grows just below their first floor apartment. She looks at the tree and cries out, “Why does it look so horrible? Mummy, who did that?” Her parents rushes to the spot. Shinu is right. The tree is chopped short; it looks awful. Her father gives a call to Salim, the gardener, who is working at a distance with the red lawnmower. “Salim, have you cut the tree short?” Salim looks at the tree and answers, “Yes sir, I did it last evening. I trim all trees in the park before winter so they can grow well during spring. You will see that the Parijat tree will reward us flowers in the coming autumn.” Shinu, being just five-year old, does not know when it will be autumn. “When will it be, Papa?” Father chuckles at her sad face. He bends down and pats her , “Not very far, my dear, it's just a year away." Shinu get