The Giving Tree

Tonight I read "The Giving Tree", by Shel Silverstein to my son. If you haven't ever read it, or haven't read it in a while, it's a good one to pick up and read again.

I actually got a little choked up reading it. Maybe it was the hell of a day that I had, or something else, but it really hit me.

First off, having my son sit on my lap, and reading to him is one of the great things of my life. And I know, that in that relationship, I am the tree. I would give everything, and then some for him to be happy.

Then there are other relationships where I feel like I'm the boy. I feel like I'm taking and taking and never quite happy. It sucks. I need to evaluate what really makes me happy. Where does my happiness come from?

Then there are relationships where I'm the tree. Friends, family, businesses, situations, memories, aspirations and others that take and take from me, and never seem to give back. How do you handle that? I want to be a giver. I want to be a person that people know they can depend on. I want to be a guy that works for something and gives what it takes. But in the end, do I end up a stump?