The Giving Tree

The Giving Tree

Shel Silverstein

    A long time ago, there was a huge tree. Alittle boy loved to come and play around it every day. He climbed to thetreetop, ate the apples, took a nap under the shadow…Heloved the tree and tree loved to play with him.

    Time went by…The boycame back to the tree and looked sad. ”Come and play with me,” the tree askedthe boy.

    “I am no longer a kid; I don’t play aroundtree anymore,” the boy replied, ”I want toys. I need money to buy them.”

    “Sorry, but I don’t have money…butyou can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money.” The boy wasso excited. He picked all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy didn’tcome back after he picked the apples.

    The tree was sad.

    One day, the boy returned and the tree wasso excited. ”Come and play with me,” the tree said.

    “I don’t have time to play. I have to workfor my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?” “Sorry, I don’thave a house. But you can cut off my branches to build your house.” So the boycut all the branches of the tree and left happily.

    The tree was glad to see him happy but theboy didn’t appear since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.

    One hot summer day, the boy returned and thetree was delighted. “Come and play with me!” the tree said.

    “I am sad and getting old. I want to gosailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?” “Use my trunk to build theboat. You can sail and be happy.” So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat.He went sailing and did not show up for a long time.

Finally, the boyreturned after he left for so many years. “Sorry, my boy, But I don’t haveanything for you anymore. No more apples for you.” the tree said. “I don’t haveteeth to bite.” the boy replied. “No more trunk for you to climb on.” “I am tooold for that now.” the boy said. “I really want to give you something…theonly thing left is my dying roots.” The tree said with tears. “I don’t needmuch now, just a place to rest. I am tire after all these years.” The boyreplied. “Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest. Comehere, please sit down with me and have a rest.” The boy sat down and the treewas glad and smiled with tears…

This is a story ofeveryone. The tree is our parents. When we were young, we loved to play withMom and Dad… When we were grow up, we leave them, andonly come to them when we need something or when we are in trouble. No matterwhat, parents will always be there and give everything they could to make youhappy. You may think that the boy is cruel to the tree but that’s how all of usare treating our parents.

    无论什么时候再读这个故事，我都是无法喜欢，甚至是厌恶。作为父母是应该教育孩子怎么去成长，而不是授之以鱼。一味给予能有多长久，最终必定是害了孩子也害了自己。父母不该以孩子为中心，该为自己的一生好好地做打算，孩子只能属于你十几二十年，但是你却拥有你自己的一辈子。劳碌一生为孩子，又是何苦呢，何况，孩子不一定是希望你围着他转，他该有自己的朋友圈，自己的生活，而父母也是一样。一生很短也很长，不该全部浪费在孩子身上。