A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play
around it everyday. He climbed to the tree top, ate the apples, took a nap under the
shadow. He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him.
Time went by...
The little boy grew up and he no longer played around the tree everyday. One day,
the boy came back to the tree with a sad look on his face. "Come and play with me,"
the tree asked the boy. "I am no longer a kid, I don't play around trees anymore,"
The boy replied, "I want toys. I need money to buy them." "Sorry, I don't have money, but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money."
The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily.
The boy didn't come back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad. One day,
the boy returned and the tree was so excited. "Come and play with me," the tree
said. "I don't have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for
shelter. Can you help me?" "Sorry, I don't have a house, but you can chop off my
branches to build your house." So the boy cut all the branches off the tree and left
happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy didn't come back
afterward. The tree was again lonely and sad.
One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was delighted. "Come and play with me!" the tree said. "I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax my
self. Can you give me a boat?" "Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far
away and be happy." So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing
and didn't come back for a long time.
Finally, the boy returned after he had been gone for so many years.
"Sorry, my boy. But I don't have anything for you anymore. No more apples for
you..." the tree said. "I don't have teeth to bite," the boy replied. "No more trunk for
you to climb on." "I am too old for that now" the boy said. "I really can't give you
anything... the only thing left is my dying roots," the tree said with sadness. "I don't
need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years," the boy replied.
"Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest. Come sit down with
me and rest." The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.
This is the story of everyone. The tree is our parent. When we were young, we
loved to play with Mom and Dad. When we grew up, we left them. We only came
to them when we needed something or when we were in trouble. No matter what,
parents will always be there and give you everything they can to make you happy.
It may seem as if the way the boy treats the "tree" in the story is cruel, but many of
us take our parents for granted in the same way. Never forget how important your
parents are and try not to take them for granted. They may not be around forever.
-Author Unknown-