LIFE HISTORY: THE GIVING TREE



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Life History: key events in an organism’s lifetime.

Life history deals on the different cycles pass on by an individual from a young age to the old one. If he could no longer adapt to the changing environment he will perish and die. This is why life history is being shaped by a natural selection process, when one is able to survive and reproduce this means he is fitted to the environment and all his needs are being provided by the giving environment.

In this case, I would like to share a story from the song written by Shel Silverstein, though the song is intended for children but I find it very fitting to the topic life history. And here it goes…

 The Giving Tree:

Once there was a giving tree who loved a little boy.
And everyday the boy would come to play
Swinging from the branches, sleeping in the shade
Laughing all the summer's hours away.
And so they love,
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

But soon the boy grew older and one day he came and said,
"Can you give me some money, tree, to buy something I've found?"
"I have no money," said the tree, "Just apples, twigs and leaves."
"But you can take my apples, boy, and sell them in the town."
And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

But soon again the boy came back and he said to the tree,
"I'm now a man and I must have a house that's all my home."
"I can't give you a house" he said, "The forest is my house."
"But you may cut my branches off and build yourself a home"
And so he did.
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

And time went by and the boy came back with sadness in his eyes.
"My life has turned so cold," he says, "and I need sunny days."
"I've nothing but my trunk," he says, "But you can cut it down
And build yourself a boat and sail away."
And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

And after years the boy came back, both of them were old.
"I really cannot help you if you ask for another gift."
"I'm nothing but an old stump now. I'm sorry but I've nothing more to give"
"I do not need very much now, just a quiet place to rest,"
The boy, he whispered, with a weary smile.
"Well", said the tree, "An old stump is still good for that."
"Come, boy", he said, "Sit down, sit down and rest a while."
And so he did and
Oh, the trees was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

Once there was a giving tree who loved a little boy.
And every day the boy would come to play
Swinging from the branches, sleeping in the shade
Laughing all the summer's hours away.
And so they love,
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

But soon the boy grew older and one day he came and said,
"Can you give me some money, tree, to buy something I've found?"                                                                                                                                            

"I have no money," said the tree, "Just apples, twigs and leaves."
"But you can take my apples, boy, and sell them in the town."    

And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

But soon again the boy came back and he said to the tree,
"I'm now a man and I must have a house that's all my home."
"I can't give you a house" he said, "The forest is my house."
"But you may cut my branches off and build yourself a home"
And so he did.
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

And time went by and the boy came back with sadness in his eyes.
"My life has turned so cold," he says, "and I need sunny days."
"I've nothing but my trunk," he says, "But you can cut it down
And build yourself a boat and sail away."
And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

And after years the boy came back, both of them were old.
"I really cannot help you if you ask for another gift."
"I'm nothing but an old stump now. I'm sorry but I've nothing more to give"
"I do not need very much now, just a quiet place to rest,"
The boy, he whispered, with a weary smile.
"Well", said the tree, "An old stump is still good for that."
"Come, boy", he said, "Sit down, sit down and rest a while."
And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

http://www.lyricsmania.com/the_giving_tree_lyrics_shel_silverstein.html

The song is about a boy who has a simple needs but very happy when these were being provided by the giving tree. But as the boy grew older his needs become complicated and big, but the giving tree still tried to give him what he wants even up to the extent sacrifying itself. Until one day the tree has nothing to give to the boy who is now an old man.

This is happened in real life when are still young we have simple needs, as we grow older, life becomes complicated and our needs become complex and the tendency is get everything from the environment up to its saturation point when the environment has nothing to give anymore.

This is the very message of the song wherein there should be a give and take relationship among men and the environment. The boy should have done something in order to preserve the tree so even he became older the tree will still provide his needs. This is what we should with the giving environment. We should take good of our environment because it provides our necessities for our continued existence so that as we go on with our life history we are able to survive. We have to ensure also that something is left in the future generation because life history has an end and the next young should have something to start with.