On the island of Bermuda in the middle of the sea, there grew in a garden a special little tree. What made it so special? We'll soon tell you why. So sit back and relax with your cassava pie.

You see, this little tree from the beginning it knew that its life would have meaning, so it grew and grew.

One day the little tree started to notice things - like the songs of the bluebirds and the brush of their wings...

And the glimmer of fry jumping away from the jacks...and the rush of the dinghy sails after their tacks.

The little tree loved Bermuda's giant toads, but desperately worried when they jumped in the roads!

Its day would have meaning when the lizards came ‘round, for the tree gave its trunk for them to run down.

It truly had a heart for the island, you see, but it didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the trees.

It felt very lonesome as other trees got attention. Its heartbreak went unnoticed, never getting a mention.

Days came and went, months rushed in and out. It started to wonder what its life was about!

The seasons all passed - spring, summer, and fall too - but winter weather always made our little tree blue.

Well, the weather, admittedly, wasn't really the reason... the tree became sad because of the season.

Yes, winter brought Christmas, the worst time for our tree. It was more alone then than it thought it could be.

Christmas time was to be the best time of year - at least according to those it could hear.

The tree heard that people were meant to be nice, but it just watched with wonder as they scurried like mice.

All the folks seemed frenzied and frantic and frozen. They appeared so unhappy hauling bags by the dozen.

Yes, the tree dreaded Christmas. It was always the same. It never was offered bright lights or candy canes.

But the part of Christmas that hurt the tree most by far was when the tree in the house got crowned with the star!

The tree was not jealous of anything or anyone. It just wanted so badly to be loved and have fun.

After Christmas was over, the seasons always ran together. But one year something strange happened to the weather.

A mighty wind arose! It blew and whipped around! The tree gave all it had to keep its roots in the ground.

The next morning the tree was in such awe at the sight, that it squeezed its eyes shut and cried through the night.

It cried for the bluebirds that had flown far away. It cried for the giant toads scared and dismayed.

It cried for the fry whose glimmer had gone. It cried for the lizards scurrying about on the lawn.

It cried for the dinghy sails tattered in the fray. It cried so hard, the tree's tears filled Riddell's Bay.

Then to its shock and bewilderment, it saw... it was the only tree standing in the midst of it all.

It couldn't believe it was the tree that survived. The tree was so happy to still be alive!

The tree then saw something it hadn't seen in a while. The people were happy... they were wearing a smile!

Everyone was sharing their homes and their food. They were caring for others and in a good mood.

They were thanking God for His blessings and love, as they lifted their eyes toward the sky above.

Then the tree got excited and started to shout, “CHRISTMAS TIME MUST BE HERE! THIS IS WHAT IT'S ABOUT!”

It wasn't rainy or cold, the tree thought, but who cared? It just knew that the people were nice everywhere!

There were no pretty lights, or ANY lights for that matter. No candy canes or kids hanging stars from a ladder.

Things just seemed right this year for some reason. Overwhelmed with joy the tree celebrated the season!

Then something surprising happened to our tree. People glowed as they spoke of its courage and strength.

They admired its trunk and caressed its bark. The tree felt it belonged in Par-la-Ville Park!

The tree stood tall and proud with great warmth in its heart. Though once it was shunned, it finally had a part!

(Now we know that Christmas hasn't come but is near. Yet it happens our tree received its gift early this year.)

For the time after Fabian was just like Christmas should be...

A time for us to love EVERYONE...

Even the loneliest Casuarina Tree.