"The Giving Tree" Poem

With Thanksgiving just passing I wanted so share one of my favorite poems. 

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.

Let us all keep gratitude in our hearts as we approach this wonderful Christmas season. 

Jaimee

The Weather

What to write about on a day like today?  Politics?  Music?  The effects of singing ballads to your house plants?  The weather??

Yes.  The weather.

(This is totally what my life felt like today)

I work at a hospital in a department that is tied directly to the operating room.  As a result of today's weather and all the accidents and trees flying around we had an abnormally large amount of emergent cases which resulted in me not having a spare minute to even breathe.  Not one.  I didn't have time to eat my breakfast.  I didn't have time to fill up my water bottle or sit at my desk to stretch my legs.  I didn't have time to take 5 minutes and have one of those little chats with my coworkers that means nothing and yet everything.  All day long people were making demands of me, their stress coming out in the way they communicated.  "We need this ASAP!" "So and so didn't do this, so we need you to."  "I don't care how you get it, just get it."  "Send this up now!"  Everything is an emergency in the OR.  Everything.  Run, run, RUN!

But I don't like running.  Not like that.  I'm a soul that needs to do things at my own pace, on my own time.  That is not to say that I am not fast or efficient, because I'm a damn good worker, but days that are as fast-paced and stressful as today don't jive well with me.  I left work feeling defeated, tired, ornery and completely worn.

Now, five hours later, I sit at this computer thinking back on my day and about my crumby job and how much I hate it and the awful weather and guess what emotion I am feeling the most?  Guess??

Gratitude.
Deep, intense gratitude.

I am grateful for the one scrub tech in the OR that said "thank you."
I am grateful for the OR director who took the time to tell me what a great job I do.
I am grateful for the little leaves that, with the help of the insane wind today, found their way into the hospital, reminding me that there is life out there and inside me.
I am grateful for the friend who sent a text to check up on me and make sure I was biding the weather well.
I am grateful for my coworkers with whom I can exchange laughter throughout the day, keeping my heart light.
I am grateful that I am not one of the many people who needed emergency surgery today.
I am grateful that, when I got home after work, I found that the beautiful willow tree in the courtyard (my very, very favorite) was still standing.
I am grateful to have people in my life that I feel connected to and with whom I can share my stories.
I am grateful that I have friends who, at a moment's notice, let me come stay at their house because my heat and power are out for a couple of days.

I am grateful for love.  For deep, real, soul to soul love.  For friends with which to share that love.  For hugs, kisses and hands to hold.  For "I love you"s.  For hearts that understand the things I have no words for.  For souls that can feel the depth of my own and let me feel theirs in return.

Tonight I am just one thing:

Grateful.