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2006-04-24 - 6:08 a.m.

It hit me out of the blue. From left field, no less. I wish it had come from right field because seems that left field gets all the glory and how fair is that?

But it did take me off guard. Completely.

For my Fundamentals of Speech Communication, one of my assignments was to record myself doing an oral interpretative reading. The specifics of the assignment were to use voice inflection, pitch, tone, and so forth. Being dramatic was required.

I knew *instantly* what literary piece that I wanted to use for this assignment. All I had to do was see if it was available online for me to print out and read. I did a little searching and within 5 minutes, VOILA! the piece was found.

I hadn't read this aloud in many, many years and I decided that before I recorded myself on DVD, it might be a good idea to practice a time or two. I called Ben and asked him if he minded listening to me practice. He was happy to oblige.

He had never heard this piece before (he was extremely deprived as a child; his mother hated---and still does---to read and thererfore it wasn't until age 12 that Ben was able to read himself.... no, just kidding! His mom really didn't enjoy reading and so Ben is not wise in children's literature) and so he was eager to hear all about it.

I began to read aloud to him over the phone. I was only into the second stanza when my eyes welled with tears, my voice began to quiver and a knot formed in my throat. I was shocked! Through my wavering voice, I tried to explain to Ben that I couldn't believe this was happening to me. He was laughing; not at me but at the situation. I took a deep breath and started again where I had left off.

And once again, tears became a river streaming down my face and my voice cracked and trembled. I could barely speak. Forming the next few words and sentences were painstakingly difficult, but I pressed on.

I still was in awe that a simple children's poem could turn me into a puddle of dripping goo in under 60 seconds. I don't think race cars can accelerate that quickly!

Fortunately, after the 3rd dry run I wiped away the tears, breathed deeply, and composed myself well enough to make the recording without allowing myself to go all mushy and gooey.

And so, without further delay here is the piece that can turn Mich�le into a sopping, wet noodle of a human being in under 60 seconds:

Once there was a tree....
and she loved a little boy.
And everyday the boy would come
and he would gather her leaves
and make them into crowns
and play king of the forest.
He would climb up her trunk
and swing from her branches
and eat apples.
And they would play hide-and-go-seek.
And when he was tired,
he would sleep in her shade.
And the boy loved the tree....
very much.
And the tree was happy.
But time went by.
And the boy grew older.

And the tree was often alone.
Then one day the boy came to the tree
and the tree said, "Come, Boy, come and
climb up my trunk and swing from my
branches and eat apples and play in my
shade and be happy."
"I am too big to climb and play" said
the boy.
"I want to buy things and have fun.
I want some money?"
"I�m sorry," said the tree, "but I
have no money.
I have only leaves and apples.
Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in
the city. Then you will have money and
you will be happy."
And so the boy climbed up the
tree and gathered
her apples
and carried them away.
And the tree was happy.

But the boy stayed away for a long time....
and the tree was sad.

And then one day the boy came back
and the tree shook with joy
and she said, "Come, Boy, climb up my trunk
and swing from my branches and be happy."
"I am too busy to climb trees," said the boy.
"I want a house to keep me warm," he said.
"I want a wife and I want children,
and so I need a house.
Can you give me a house ?"
" I have no house," said the tree.
"The forest is my house,
but you may cut off
my branches and build a
house. Then you will be happy."
And so the boy cut off her branches
and carried them away
to build his house.
And the tree was happy.

But the boy stayed away for a long time.

And when he came back,
the tree was so happy
she could hardly speak.
"Come, Boy," she whispered,
"come and play."
"I am too old and sad to play,"
said the boy.
"I want a boat that will
take me far away from here.
Can you give me a boat?"
"Cut down my trunk
and make a boat," said the tree.
"Then you can sail away...
and be happy."
And so the boy cut down her trunk
and made a boat and sailed away.
And the tree was happy
... but not really.

And after a long time
the boy came back again.
"I am sorry, Boy,"
said the tree," but I have nothing
left to give you -
My apples are gone."
"My teeth are too weak
for apples," said the boy.
"My branches are gone,"
said the tree. " You
cannot swing on them - "
"I am too old to swing
on branches," said the boy.
"My trunk is gone, " said the tree.
"You cannot climb - "
"I am too tired to climb" said the boy.
"I am sorry," sighed the tree.
"I wish that I could give you something....
but I have nothing left.
I am just an old stump.
I am sorry...."

"I don�t need very much now," said the boy.
"just a quiet place to sit and rest.
I am very tired."
"Well," said the tree, straightening
herself up as much as she could,
"well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting
Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest."
And the boy did.
And the tree was happy.

---The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein

Until next time...peace, love & HEALTH!!!









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