Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree

Happy Autumn everybody! As I write this, we're just a half hour into the new season. Summer is now officially over, and I hope it was a great one for all. As great as summer is though, fall is also a great time of year with its own charms and delights. The fresh, cool air, trips to pumpkin patches and farmers' markets, the return of first-run TV, and of course, the beautiful fall foliage.

If you're lucky enough to live in proximity to a forest or state park, do yourself a favor and take full advantage of the view of the leaves changing color. It's always a specatular sight that connects you to nature and helps you appreciate our physical world.

Which brings us to today's clip. This is an animated version of author Shel Silverstein's classic story The Giving Tree, about a boy's relationship to a particular tree. It's a bittersweet story that has more than a tinge of meloncholy to it. You'll feel sorry for the tree and spiteful towards the boy/man at the end, or at least I do. I first saw this as a film strip way back in grade school (first or second grade?) in the early 80s, but it's much older than that. My friend and former coworker Todd Mason brought this to my attention several months ago, and I saved it for when the time seemed right. Why not now? Enjoy!