阅读材料 何志松.docVIP

Reading for writing The Art of Living ---Find Real Happiness There was a little boy who was bored, so he went out to the tree to play. Soon the boy grew tired of playing in the tree. “I’m hungry,” said the boy. “Here,” said the tree, “take an apple.” The boy took the apple and ate. “I want a bicycle,” said the boy, “but I don’t have enough money to buy one.” “Here,” said the tree, “take all my apples, and sell them so you can have enough money to buy the bicycle you want.” The boy took the apples and went to the market. The tree was so happy to have helped his new friend and looked forward to seeing how happy the boy will be riding around on his new bicycle. Days turned to weeks. Weeks turned into months and months to years. The boy did not visit the tree. Finally the boy returned, but he was not a boy any more. He was a young man, and he was unhappy. “I want to travel,” the young man complained, “but I do not have a boat.” “Here,” said the tree, “cut me down and use my wood to build a boat.” The young man cut down the tree and built a boat. Many years passed and the tree did not see or hear from the young man who was once a boy. Finally, he returned, but he was an old man, an unhappy old man. “What is wrong?” asked the tree. “I am old and alone, and I have nothing.” “I have nothing to give you,” said the tree. “I just want to sit down.” The old man who was once a young man who was once a boy sat down on the stump that was once a beautiful tree. Then he wept. The old man finally understood. From The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein Don’t always ask for “more” The boy, like most people, wants conditional happiness. He did not understand that we should accept life unconditionally, and that leads to happiness. We can all have and enjoy the luxury of things---the latest digital product, the biggest TV, the newest and greatest cell phone---yet we must not forget that someone else in this world may be suffering