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The Giving Tree

Who doesn’t know about the legendary tale of the giving tree?

At some point in time in our childhood, our parents have read this story to us. Back then, it gave us a clear sense of their selfless and unconditional love. Now that we are grown-ups, this story can give us so much more!

Keep reading to find out what the giving tree has in store for you!

 

Once upon a time, there was a tree.

She loved a little boy who played with her leaves, swung on her branches and climbed on her trunk. He ate her apples

and the tree was happy.

Soon the boy grew older and the tree felt alone as the boy’s visits grew scarce.

After a while the boy came to see the tree. The tree was happy to see the boy all grown-up. She invited him to swing on her branches, climb her trunk and eat her apples.

The boy though was not interested in playing.

“I want money and I want to buy things with money. Can you give me that?”

The tree was saddened. She could not give the boy any money since she didn’t have any.

“You can take my apples and sell them. They will bring you money and you will be happy.”

She made a suggestion to the boy who happily took her apples.

The tree was happy.

After a few more years, the boy visited the tree again. The tree greeted him joyfully and invited him to play. However, the boy was too old to find happiness in play anymore. He wanted more.

“I want to have a house and a wife and children.”

The tree was saddened. She could not give the boy a house since her own house was the forest.

“You can cut my branches and make a house for yourself and your family. Then you will be happy.”

The tree offered the boy her branches and the boy happily cut the branches of the tree to build himself a house.

The tree was happy.

For a few more years, the boy did not visit the tree and the tree was sad.

Suddenly, the boy appeared again now quite aged. He had everything in life but he was still not happy.

The tree invited him to play with her and be happy.

However, the boy wanted something else.

“I need a boat to sail away.”

The tree was sad. She could not provide him a boat because she didn’t have any.

“You can cut off my trunk to build a boat and sail away. Then you will be happy.”

The boy cut her trunk and sailed away happily.

The tree was happy.

Many years went by, the boy returned to the tree once more, now very old and fragile.

The tree spoke up sadly, “I do not have any apples, branches or the trunk to make you happy. I am just an old stump.”

The boy answered, “I do not have the strength in my teeth to eat apples, nor do I have the power in my legs for swinging on branches or climbing on tree trunks. I just need to sit down. I am too old and tired.”

The tree smiled. “Yes, you can sit on my stump. Then you will be happy.”

The tree was happy.         The END

 

Time withers everything.

The feeling of loss and longing that develops in us as time passes, is one that the giving tree expresses in just a handful of lines. We learn that loss is imperative in life. The tree gives up so much over time just to make the boy happy while the boy still loses everything he has as time goes by.

Except his relationship with the tree!

He could still count on her to comfort him in his time of need.

The giving tree teaches us to cherish our relationships more than the things we earn in life. At the end of the day, things are just that: things! They can perish over time. Our relationships and the support they give us last for a lifetime!

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A Selection of Relationship Quotes

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