The Giving Tree

Who'da thunk that I would be having growing lessons in my thirties? Sure enough another light bulb moment yesterday at Borders Bookstore.

We were wasting time at the mall and I thought I would be the fun mom and take the boys in to read a book to them. We made our way to the back of the store and I scanned the shelves for a book the boys might enjoy. It's painfully sad when we have almost every book Border's carries. And there it was - The Giving Tree. It takes me back to 5th grade. Our class performed The Giving Tree. I was the voice of the Tree (since I read with such great inflection - some compliments stick with you forever). I remember loving the book about the tree even though it's kinda sad.

Naturally, I think the boys would love the book about a tree - simple pictures, not a lot of words on each page..... So I start reading to them - with great inflection - and then it happens. I wasn't expecting this at all - I started crying. Can you believe it? Reading The Giving Tree??? It dawns on me that it's not really about a tree at all. DUH! It about loving someone so much and giving everything you have for their happiness = a parent.

The past few weeks without Keith has been hard. Being the single parent takes all your effort and then some. I've felt like the tree. I just hope the boys will want to come back to sit with me one day. I should go sit with my parents too.