The image is from Cornerstone Christian Academy.
This story comes from “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein.
” Once upon a time, there was a tall and big tree.
A little boy, coming to the tree every day, he climbed up to pick the fruit and sleep in the shade. He loves this big tree, and the tree loves to play with him.
Later, the little boy grew up and no longer came to play with the tree.
One day he came back to the tree and looked sad.
The tree wanted to play with him, and the boy said, “No, I am no longer a child, and I cannot play with you. I want toys, but I have no money to buy them.”
The tree said,” I am sorry that I have no money, but you will get money if you pick all my fruit and sell it.”
The boy was so excited that he picked all the fruits and left happily.
Then the boy didn’t come for a long time. The tree was sad.
One day, the boy finally came, and the tree excitedly invited him to play.
The boy said, “ No, I don’t have time to play. I need to work for my family. We need a house. Can you help us?”
“I have no house,” said the tree, “but you can cut all my branches off to build your house.”
So the boy cut all the branches of the tree and left happily to build his house. The tree was happy to see the boy happy.
The boy did not come back for a long time. The tree once again fell into loneliness and sorrow.
One summer, the boy returned, and the tree was delighted. “Come and play with me, child.”
“I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax. Can you give me a boat?”
The tree said, “Cut my trunk to make a boat.” So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He sailed away, and the tree was so happy.
The boy did not come back for a long time.
When the boy finally returned after many years, the tree said, “I’m sorry, son, but I have nothing left for you. My fruit is gone.”
The boy said, “I have lost my teeth and can’t eat any more fruits.”
“I do not have any more trunk for you to climb on,” said the tree.
“I am too old to climb,” said the boy.
“ I don’t have anything left to offer… I only have my roots, “the tree said with tears.
The boy said, “After all these years, I feel tired and want nothing but a place to rest.”
“ Good! Old roots are the best place to sit down and rest. Come, sit down with me and rest.” The boy sat down, and the tree shed tears with joy. “
Comment: This is the child’s story. The big tree is our parents.
When we were young, we liked to play with Mom and Dad. When we grew up, we left them and only returned to them when we needed something or when we were in trouble.
In any case, parents are always there, and all of them try their best to make you happy. You might think that this boy is cruel to the tree, but this is how each of us treats our parents.
Please cherish the time that we are with them.
The ancient Chinese has a saying:
The tree wants to be still—but the wind is blowing; the son wants to show his filial piety—but his parents have gone.
The Chinese article is from http://www.wenzhangba.com/gandongwenzhang/201906/639479.html.
Indeed, the metaphor is contrary to ones wish. Hence, we should grasp the opportunity and spend as much time with our parents as possible, or we will regret it.
很久很久以前，有一棵又高又大的树。
一位小男孩，天天到树下来，他爬上去摘果子吃，在树荫下睡觉。他爱大树，大树也爱和他一起玩耍。
后来，小男孩长大了，不再天天来玩耍。
一天他又来到树下，很伤心的样子。
大树要和他一起玩，男孩说：“不行，我不小了，不能再和你玩，我要玩具，可是没钱买。”
大树说：“很遗憾，我也没钱，不过，把我所有的果子摘下来卖掉，你不就有钱了？”
男孩十分激动，他摘下所有的果子，高高兴兴地走了。
然后，男孩好久都没有来。大树很伤心。
有一天，男孩终于来了，大树兴奋地邀他一起玩。
男孩说：“不行，我没有时间，我要替家里干活呢，我们需要一幢房子，你能帮忙吗？”
没有房子”大树说，“不过你可以把我的树枝统统砍下来，拿去搭房子。”
于是男孩砍下所有的树枝，高高兴兴地运走去盖房子。看到男孩高兴大树好快乐。
从此，男孩又不来了。
大树再次陷入孤单和悲伤之中。
一年夏天，男孩回来了，大树太快乐了：“来呀！孩子，来和我玩呀。”
男孩却说：“我心情不好，一天天老了，我要扬帆出海，轻松一下，你能给我一艘船吗？”
大树说：“把我的树干砍去，拿去做船吧！”于是男孩砍下了她的树干，造了条船，然后驾船走了，很久都没有回来。
大树好快乐……但不是真的。
许多年过去，男孩终于回来，大树说：“对不起，孩子，我已经没有东西可以给你了，我的果子没了。”
男孩说：“我的牙都掉了，吃不了苹果了。”
大树又说：“我再没有树干，让你爬上来了。”
男孩说：“我太老了，爬不动了。”
“我再也没有什么给得出手了……，只剩下枯死下去的老根，”树流着泪说。
男孩说：“这么多年过去了，现在我感到累了，什么也不想要，只要一个休息的地方。”
”好啊！老根是最适合坐下来休息的，来啊，坐下来和我一起休息吧！”男孩坐下来，大树高兴得流下了眼泪……
这就是我们每个人的故事。这棵树就是我们的父母。
小时候，我们喜欢和爸爸妈妈玩……长大后，我们就离开他们，只在需要什么东西或者遇到麻烦的时候，才回到他们身边。
无论如何，父母永远都在那儿，倾其所有使你快乐。你可能认为这个男孩对树很残酷，但这就是我们每个人对待父母的方式。
人生确实如此，请朋友们珍惜与父母在一起的时间。
因为，树欲静而风不止，子欲养而亲不待。
http://www.wenzhangba.com/gandongwenzhang/201906/639479.html
