What's on the Inside?

The massive oak tree lay strewn across the lawn of the stately house.  For years the wounded and now chopped tree had kept its deadly secret hidden from human eyes. Internally it was rotting away eaten by disease or some other slow moving virulent insect force. Now it’s inner secret was exposed for all to see. I stopped to take some pictures as the stricken tree interrogated me.

Is my life like this tree?  I may look strong on the outside, but inside am I hollow and eaten away? What is eating away at me inside?  Have I let  bitterness over a small slight eat away at me?  Am I carrying around  childhood memories of school or home that I have never confronted?  Sure  I’ve been blessed  with a great family, friends and a a wonderful career.  Yet here I am. I have to check to make sure my insides are not rotting away.  Have I truly forgiven that which I felt was unforgivable or  are the tentacles still decaying on the inside, burrowed deeply within my emotional core?
If someone could send a camera to my emotional core would the person be shocked at what was going on inside of me?

I pray to God that my heart, my emotions and mind  will be free of the decay of any form of bitterness or malice. May I be as healthy internally  as I appear on the outside.

A Poem added after the original post

Innervision

If my soul were on display

I wonder what my friends would say.

Oh my, I thought she had more within,

But her inner holiness is oh so thin.

The outward form of her is warmly bold,

But, the inward part is skinny and cold.

She looks well put together on Sunday Morn,

But inside she is raggedy and torn.

She speaks of love and heaven oh so well.

But her soul is filled with thoughts from hell.

Dear God my soul is on display

God, You see my thoughts both night and day

Please change me Lord my soul renew

So that my interior is aligned with You.

Author: Patricia Simpson Newton