the giving tree.
"Come, Boy, come and climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and eat apples and play in my shade and be happy"
"I am too big to climb and play", said the boy.
"I want to buy things and have fun.
I want some money.
Can you give me some money?"
"I'm sorry," said the tree,
"but I have no money, I have only leaves and apples.
Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in the city.
Then you will have money and you will be happy."
And so the boy climbed up the tree
and gathered her apples
and carried them away.
And the tree was happy.
So I'm sure we've all read the story. I remember when I first read the story in fifth grade. I didn't understand why the teacher thought it was such an important book, and why she thought we should think deeper about the meaning. I just thought it sad.
Later in life, when I was going through my "teen angst" phase, I just thought the book was sad and represented how no one appreciates people who are willing to give. Of course, this involved lots of feelings of self-pity for myself, but hey, isn't that part of angst?
Tonight, I picked up the book for the little one, my seven-year-old stepson, to read. Every Tuesday we head to the library after school but before my night classes, and pick out books. Last Tuesday I saw this book and automatically grabbed it without thinking. Like I said, I picked it up tonight at bedtime for us to read before he snuggled in for the night. Once I came to this passage, I felt tears well up in my eyes, because I realized that the story was about true, unconditional love, and possibly up for interpretation, but a mother's love.
It's so weird that I had never realized it before, never thought of it. It's just a big sign to me that I am apparently growing up, and more things are becoming aware to me. And hey, here's some more emo for ya: It seems Life is still blossoming and uncurling petals open one at a time, still even though I feel as if I'm closing in on it's peak.
...or maybe it's because I'm over-emotional and premenstral. Probably.
If you haven't read the book in a while, I urge you just to pick it up and give it a glance-through. There are versions of it on the web as well, if you'd like.
"I am too big to climb and play", said the boy.
"I want to buy things and have fun.
I want some money.
Can you give me some money?"
"I'm sorry," said the tree,
"but I have no money, I have only leaves and apples.
Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in the city.
Then you will have money and you will be happy."
And so the boy climbed up the tree
and gathered her apples
and carried them away.
And the tree was happy.
So I'm sure we've all read the story. I remember when I first read the story in fifth grade. I didn't understand why the teacher thought it was such an important book, and why she thought we should think deeper about the meaning. I just thought it sad.
Later in life, when I was going through my "teen angst" phase, I just thought the book was sad and represented how no one appreciates people who are willing to give. Of course, this involved lots of feelings of self-pity for myself, but hey, isn't that part of angst?
Tonight, I picked up the book for the little one, my seven-year-old stepson, to read. Every Tuesday we head to the library after school but before my night classes, and pick out books. Last Tuesday I saw this book and automatically grabbed it without thinking. Like I said, I picked it up tonight at bedtime for us to read before he snuggled in for the night. Once I came to this passage, I felt tears well up in my eyes, because I realized that the story was about true, unconditional love, and possibly up for interpretation, but a mother's love.
It's so weird that I had never realized it before, never thought of it. It's just a big sign to me that I am apparently growing up, and more things are becoming aware to me. And hey, here's some more emo for ya: It seems Life is still blossoming and uncurling petals open one at a time, still even though I feel as if I'm closing in on it's peak.
...or maybe it's because I'm over-emotional and premenstral. Probably.
If you haven't read the book in a while, I urge you just to pick it up and give it a glance-through. There are versions of it on the web as well, if you'd like.