“The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein is my all-time favorite book. Its emotional impact never fails to move me whenever I read it, and I struggle to read it aloud. The genius of this book lies in its evocative simplicity and its portrayal of a mostly one-sided friendship, something many people can relate to. It depicts a relationship characterized by one-sided sacrifice and unconditional love. The tree gives so much more than she receives, yet she finds fulfillment in the boy’s presence, something she desires and cherishes deeply.
There was a boy she loved dearly. In life, she had been his older sister, but after her death, she healed in the spirit world before returning to watch over her loved ones, especially him. Although he grew into a man while she remained, in spirit, a teenager, he was always her little brother, and she wished for his happiness knowing how much pain he had to live with. He felt alone, but she was with him during his private moments, witnessing how he turned to food for comfort to fill the void left by the premature deaths of several family members. To everyone else, he smiled, laughed, told jokes, always made time to listen to them, and he made people happy. But she knew he was giving others what he lacked. They all considered him first when they wanted or needed something, but they often forgot to ask if he wanted or needed anything. He was their rock, but he had no one to lean on and she was the only one who knew.
In the darkness of the night, feeling as if he was all alone, he ate to soothe his pain. But she was with him. She tried to tell him what he could not hear: to please take care of himself and know that he was not alone, and that she loved him so very much. Yet, he could not hear her. Come morning, he wore a smile and brought cheer to everyone else’s day. Yet, they all forgot to brighten his. He did not complain. He loved them and knew they loved him, too. Although they did not always show it and were often wrapped up in their own lives, what he got in return was knowing that he did matter to the people he loved and that he was appreciated by them. He was a big man with an even bigger heart, and few knew it more than the sister who watched over him and saw him for who he really was—someone who eased the pain of others but hid his own, and someone who gave so generously of what he was most in need of. He gave until he no longer could, and she was there waiting for him. He was overjoyed to be reunited with his beloved sister, who was always in his heart and thoughts. Together, they watch over everyone he had loved so much in life. He is still giving to all of them, brightening their days with energies of comfort, support, and encouragement. He sends them reminders of his love, from birds to dragonflies, but now his energies are being matched and he no longer feels so alone. She is with him, and he knows now that she always has been.
DH Darling 