This past year, I fell in love all over again with my favorite childhood book, "The Giving Tree," by Shel Silverstein. If you ask some of my closest friends, they can tell you it’s really something that was on my mind for quite a while at the start of second semester. I happened across it one day while searching for poems by Shel Silverstein. The title popped up along with the quote, “and she loved a little boy very, very much—even more than she loved herself.” I am not sure why this struck me or made me think, because heaven knows there have been much deeper quotes that I have read that have not grabbed my attention in such a way. Whatever the case may be, I found myself thinking about the book and its many messages.

There are a few different interpretations to the book, and I certainly do not mean to claim that mine are correct, but to me, the book speaks of immense generosity, unconditional love, complete and total selflessness, and also man’s potential to be greedy, ungrateful and selfish. Many people I know do not or did not like this book very much because it is sad at the end and because it shows how hurtful a person can be toward someone, some tree that is, that cares so deeply for him. That is precisely the reason it became my favorite and still is one of my favorite stories. I have never been one to gravitate toward all rainbows and butterflies and sunny skies; I have felt the pull of sadness in music and stories such as this. I have found them attractive because I see that the sadness in them is true, that it is a more accurate reflection of our world, and I recognize that there is something to be gleaned from those works that incorporate it.

When I think of this book I think of my parents, my grandparents, and I think of God because I see a parent and child kind of relationship illustrated.

A paragraph is owed to my parents at least. My dear, loving, tolerant parents. It is a wonder they put up with me. To me they go by many names: mom, momma, ma, mommy (when I want something) and Momma Papa; then dad, daddy (again when I want something) and Big Papa. To most others they are known as Pam and John Papa. They are the most generous people I know. I understand, they’re biased towards me, but even still, they each go out of their way to lend a hand to others. Never once did or do they make helping or giving to people seem like anything less than a great opportunity. And I know that they love me in that unconditional way for all the trouble I have caused them. Even after almost 20 years of my shenanigans, they still love me. Of course, if you combine intense generosity with unconditional love, you receive incredible selflessness. To them, my sisters and I have always come first. They put themselves as second automatically, and although I realize this, I know I do not appreciate it as much or as often as I should. For that, I know I am the boy. I know I am greedy, and I know I take from them without thinking a lot of the time. I know that sometimes I do not appreciate them, and I take advantage of their love. And I know that I can be selfish. For most of my life, I have played the part of the boy from "The Giving Tree."

So you see, my parents are the tree. They are each separate and together this great and wonderful tree that does nothing but give and love and give and love even more. It was not until my grandfather died in March that I really realized how great of a Giving Tree he was. He truly embodied this character in every sense of the title—he was incredibly tall, so he towered above everyone in my family; he was seen as the head family member; his connections with us and the many people he encountered in his life branched farther and were more extensive than anyone’s I have ever known; and lastly, his love and generosity for his family, his friends and his patients were unparalleled. He was the great Giving Tree of my family.

But God has been the greatest Giving Tree of my life. His love and generosity are beyond my comprehension. He is the one that put my parents and my grandparents and the rest of my Giving Trees in my life. God gives love unending although I have never truly appreciated it until this year. And it is unconditional love to be sure. I have taken from Him without thought many a time. I have been incredibly selfish ...

I do not wish to be the boy.

Many people believe that author of "The Giving Tree" is showing how man can and will take of someone, of something or of God, forever, until there is nothing left or until we are left hollow. I believe he is simply stating what could be. He is showing us our potential. We can either be the boy, or we can be the tree. And it might be that for a time, and maybe even on and off throughout our lives, we trade roles. Sometimes we are the boy. But sometimes we choose to be a great Giving Tree. No matter our role, though, always we should be striving to be the tree.