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A seven year-old
boy called Olive
was very
impatient and
restless.
He was never
willing to do
small tasks and
complained about
everything.
He used to sit
down to do his
homework, but
then a few
minutes later he
would drop his
pencil and say:
— This is a very
difficult task!
I don’t know how
to do it.
Olive was one
day invited by
his colleagues
to watch a
movie, but as
soon as it
started, he
complained:
— This is a very
long film! I
can’t stand it
anymore!
Once he was
called to play
football, but
soon he was fed
up with it:
— This game
never stops! Can
we play with
something else?
Her mother, who
was worried
about his
behaviour,
listened to all
his complains.
She asked her
child to be
patient and
encouraged him
to be more
patient, but he
wasn’t listening
to her. One day,
she decided to
take him for a
walk.
It was spring.
They were
walking to the
market-place,
and Olive looked
at a tree and
said:
— Mum, look!
What a big and
beautiful tree!
The flowers are
so perfumed and
beautiful!
Later on, Olive
stopped in front
of a new statue
recently
inaugurated.
The sculpture
pays homage to a
loca citizen and
reproduced his
natural size.
Olive said to
his mother:
— Look, mum!
What a beautiful
statue! It looks
like its alive!
Soon later they
passed through a
big stone and
the boy said:
— This stone, on
the other hand,
is not worth
anything!
His mother then
said:
— You are
mistaken, my
son. The artist
made the
sculpture you
just admired a
while ago from a
stone which
looks similar to
this one.
— How could an
artist make such
a beautiful
work?
His mother
smiled and
said:
— It certainly
takes a lot of
time and
effort.
She then got a
green bean from
the floor, took
one of its seeds
and placed it on
his child’s
hand:
— Everything in
life relays on
effort, my son.
The beautiful
and strong tree
you are just
looking at grew
from this little
seed. It
represents the
combined effort
from nature and
men, since
someone looked
after it.
The boy then had
an idea:
— I am going to
take this seed
and plant it at
home. I want to
see it grow
soon!
— Good idea, but
please don’t
rush with it. We
will need to
wait many years
to be able to
see this little
seed transform
into a tree. The
good side is you
will have the
opportunity to
see it grow and
develop.
Olive was
disappointed.
— I want to see
it grow soon!
— Nothing
happens from one
day to another,
my soon.
Everything
demands effort,
time and good
will, my son.
Have you seen a
building built
up out of the
sudden, or a
bridge built
from one day to
another?
— No; not even
homework
resolves in
itself.
— That’s right.
Nature needs
time to work,
and so do we. So,
let’s go ahead.
Plant your seed
and let’s see
how beautiful it
will be.
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Olive then took
the seen in his
hand. When they
got home, he
opened a hole,
covered the seed
with soil and
watered it.
Everyday, as
soon as he woke
up, Olive would
go to the place
where he planted
his seed. One
day he was
really happy: a
small sprout
could be seen.
Olive was able
to see the
development of
his little
plant, which was
growing a bit
more every day.
One day, he
realised it had
the same size as
him!
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The boy learned
with that seed
everything has a
certain time in
life and that
rushing things
does not do any
good. He became
a good student
at school, and a
few years later,
went to study in
another city.
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When he came
back, he
realised his
little seed
became a
beautiful and
strong tree,
full of embalmed
flowers. Looking
at the tree
trunk, branches
and the
beautiful
flowers, Olive
said to the
tree:
— We both grew
up and are now
working. I was
able to finish
my university
degree and you
are making us
happy with your
flowers and
shadow. I have
learned so much
with you, my
friend. Thank
you!
He then
approached and
hugged the tree,
kissing it many
times.
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Aunt Celia
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