Tuesday Talk
 

October 18, 2011

Kel Mitchel '12

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Just like every kid, for weeks at a time I would make my parents read the same book over and over again before I went to sleep. We read “Goodnight moon,” “Where the Wild Things Are,” and at Christmas; “The Polar Express.” One of my longer phases was of the “Giving Tree,” by Shel Silverstein. And every night for a few weeks we’d go through the same routine where my parents would sit down, and tell the tale of the tree and the boy. I would be in bed, head on the pillow, and one of my parents would sit in the big swivel chair that was in the corner of the room. My mom knew the story well, but my dad was not prepared for how it would affect him. And as he walked downstairs to greet my mom one night after she had gone out, he said with tears in his eyes, "Mari, why didn't you warn me?" As a little kid I was not affected in the same way, in fact, I fell asleep. But today, I ask myself why we love this tale so much, of the tree and her boy, and the love that they shared for each other. I have it here now, and I’d like to share it with you.

Once, there was a tree…

And she loved a little boy.

And every day the boy would come

And he would gather her leaves

And make them into crowns and play king of the forest.

He would climb up her trunk

And swing from her branches

And eat apples

And they would play hide-and-go-seek.

And when he was tired, he would sleep in her shade.

And the boy loved the tree… very much…

And the tree was happy.

But time went by,

And the boy grew older.

And the tree was often alone.

Then, one day, the boy came to the tree and the tree said:

”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 thing 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 city. Then you will have money and you’ll be happy.”

And so the boy climbed up the tree and gathered her apples and carried them away.

And the tree was happy…

But the boy stayed away for a long time… and the tree was sad.

And then one day the boy came back, and the tree shook with joy, and she said:

”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 busy to climb trees,” said the boy. “I want a house to keep me warm”, he said. “I and want a wife and I want children, and so I need a house. Can you give me a house?”

”I have no house”, said the tree. “The forest is my house”, said the tree. “But you may cut off my branches and build a house. Then you will be happy”.

And so the boy cut off her branches and carried them away to build his house. And the tree was happy.

 

But the boy stayed away for a long time…

And when he came back, the tree was so happy she could hardly speak.

”Come, Boy” she whispered, “Come and play”.

”I am too old and sad to play”, said the boy. “I want a boat that will take me away from here. Can you give me a boat?”

”Cut down my trunk and make a boat”, said the tree. “Then you can sail away… and be happy”.

And so the boy cut down her trunk

And made a boat and sailed away.

And the tree was happy…

But not really.

And after a long time the boy came back again.

”I am sorry, Boy”, said the tree, “but I have nothing left to give you – My apples are gone”.

”My teeth are too weak for apples”, said the boy.

”My branches are gone”, said the tree. “You cannot swing on them”.

”I am too old to swing on branches”, said the boy.

”My trunk is gone”, said the tree. “You cannot climb”.

”I am too tired to climb”, said the boy.

”I am sorry” sighed the tree. “I wish that I could give you something… but I have nothing left. I am just an old stump. I am sorry…”

”I don’t need very much now”, said the boy. “Just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired”.

”Well”, said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could, “well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, Boy, sit down… sit down and rest”.

And the boy did.

And the tree was happy…

The end.

There are so many messages to be taken from this story, those of giving, of sharing, or of youth-hood, but I believe at its heart, it’s story of love and caring, which is something we can all relate to. Whether it is our family or our friends, there is someone in our life who is our tree, who gives us selfless care whenever we need it, whether we ask or not. We may notice it, but we may also not appreciate it, and leave without giving them a thank you in return. Just like when the boy left the tree alone in the woods, and the tree was sad. And even after he took all that she had to give, in the end the tree was happy to give him a seat to rest upon. Though he didn’t realize it, he gave her everything by doing this, it was a simple thank you for the never ending love, a moment that they could share together forever.

I say this as a reminder of what people do for us each day that we let go without noticing. It might do us good to share a thanks, and stick by that person when they need, so this person will be happy like the tree. In fact, I never realized it then, but my parents did this every night when reading the “Giving Tree” to me. Just like the boy resting on her stump, falling asleep to the calming of their voices was the very thing I needed to give in return. It was my thanks to them, a recognition of the kindness in putting up with the same book for weeks in a row. It was a win win for the both of us, I needed to get to sleep, and it was what they needed to share every precious moment with me. My trees, who gave me everything I have ever needed to grow up, were happy.

And we were happy.