"Once there was a tree...and she loved a little boy."

Read this book's text HERE

If you haven't read, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, lately I implore you to do so. I rarely read it to my son, because as a super emotional mommy I can barely get through it without shedding some tears. I have "the feels" like no one else and can cry at the drop of a sappy dime. However, tonight after a wonderful day alone with him, just mommy and son time, I couldn't help but think of the story as I watched him sweetly fall asleep after a few books himself. The opening line played in my mind over and over, "Once there was a tree...and she loved a little boy." And I kept thinking: I am definitely that tree.

I am not equipped with the words to describe how I truly feel about him. I know that is a bit of a cop-out, but it's so true! Recently, I was lucky enough to have a short, but so meaningful, conversation with a new mommy. We were talking about how you really just don't know how much you'll love your baby until you do. And the feeling is almost indescribable and totally unbelievable. When I was pregnant with him I loved him, but I always worried that I wouldn't love him adequately. Like, what if I wasn't enough for him. And, then they are born and you still don't feel adequate enough, but you have no question on whether or not your love is. It is truly, perfect love.  

So, as I think about The Giving Tree, I can't help but think of all those parents out there who embody
that of the tree. Giving and giving and giving some more. And coming up with solutions to give even when you don't have exactly what is needed. Now, I'm not talking about the giving of frivolous things. Although, I do indulge my little guy on occasion (wink, wink) just for the simple joy of seeing him happy. Hey, I am completely aware of how much I was spoiled as a child and I do enjoy giving him that bit of non-warranted pleasure just because. Instead here, I am talking about the meaningful take everything that I have kind of giving that we do as parents. The giving of your time, your resources, your sleep, your youth, your plans, your branches...whatever they may be. And the selfless giving, that while you may complain about at the time, you would do over and over again just to make that little one (or not so little one) happy.

And, a lot of the time you may feel that, that kind of giving goes unnoticed, just like the boy in the story. However, if that boy is anything like most somewhere down the line, perhaps when they have little ones of their own, they will remember all that giving. They will get a taste of how sometimes that giving makes you feel empty, but with one little smile, or thank you, or I love you it fills you right back up to the brim. Hopefully, there is more gratitude then that of this story, but let's face it, we'd keep giving even if there wasn't. It's this point where I can see how some people, even Shel himself, believe this story to be a sad one. All that taking, all that sacrifice for what? Well guess what, I don't see it that way. I hope to get gratitude for all that I do as a parent, I hope to instill a sense of grace and humility into my little man. I hope to help mold him into a giving man who thinks of others first and if he doesn't I'd be saddened greatly. Let's be real sometimes all that giving pays off and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes your happy...but not really (just like the tree). That's life. However, I'd keep giving either way. I am that tree.

I love him, most indescribably.

Now, I hope in years to come your beautiful babies visit you for a quiet place to sit and rest, as the boy did. And in all that sitting and resting I hope they are happy and I hope you are happy too. I hope you as parents understand your importance...

Thank you mom and dad for giving and giving and giving. No how much I understand all that you have done for me and understand how much I am grateful for it.