and she loved a little boy.
And everyday 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 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.
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, climb up my trunk
and swing from my branches and be happy."
"I am too busy to climb trees," said the boy.
"I want a house to keep me warm," he said.
"I 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,
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 far 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
QUESTIONS: Some people read Shel Silverstein's story and become irritated at the selfish, greedy “little boy” that so uses and abuses the tree. Where did this story take you? I asked my friend Diana, an amazing elementary teacher, what her student’s reactions typically are; her answer? “The kids seldom think of the boy at all. They are mesmerized by the wonder of the tree.” Could it be true? When I’m swept off my feet in love I don’t even see the garbage around me? What do you see in others most of the time?
Luke 15 has some very religious people upset with Jesus' storytelling. When you look at this story (wrongly named The Prodigal Son) who do you end up focusing on? The "worldly wayward" younger son? The Dad? The passive aggressive, non-appreciative LOST older brother?
Love Gives because it wants to! Read Psalm 149:1-5. We can "twist and twirl" (Heb. for the word "dance" in the Old Testament of the Bible) in our friendship with God! God's "pleasure" is seeing our eyes light up, like The Giving Tree. Fun: this passage is one of the original Mary Kay Makeup verses (verse 4 says "God takes pleasure in his kids." The word "pleasure" used here comes from the Hebrew concept of "looking beautiful" and is associated with a "rosy" red, flushed face. The ancient root is "to boil, be hot, glow with heat." God's face reflects his passionate love for us. God IS nuts about us! Do you believe this? Believing God will transform the way we look at others!
Revisit this blog or Bruce's personal blog (LINK) for more The Giving Tree" thoughts over the next few days :)
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