An individual is like a tree

Mal received this price for answering a question correctly . Isn't it pretty? 

In conjunction of  the "World Environment Day 2008", the school had invited Mr. Peter Chen, the trade commissioner of Canada-Brunei, to give a talk regarding the Environment in the conference room today. He showed us a 45-minute heart-felt video animation called "The man who planted trees" and it was so moving and inspiring. The Man Who Planted Trees, is an allegorical tale by French Author Jean Giono, published in 1953. It tells the story of one shepherd's long and successful singlehanded effort to re-forest a desolate valley in the foothills of the Alps near Provence throughout the first half of the 20th century: 

The tale is narrated by a twenty-year-old man who remains anonymous throughout. The story begins in the year 1910 when this young man is undertaking a lone hiking trip through Provence, France and into the Alps, enjoying the relatively unspoiled wilderness. The narrator runs out of water in a treeless, desolate valley where only wild lavender grows and there is no trace of civilisation  except old, empty crumbling buildings. The narrator finds only a dried up well, but is saved by a middle-aged shephard who takes him to a spring he knows of.Curious about this man and why he has chosen such a lonely life, the narrator stays with him for a time. The shepherd, after being widowed,  has decided to restore the ruined ecosystem of the isolated and largely abandoned valley by single-handedly cultivating a forest, tree by tree. The shepherd, Elzéard Bouffier, makes holes in the ground with his curling pole and drops into the holes acorns that he has collected from many miles away.

The narrator leaves the shepherd and returns home, and later fights in the First World War.  In 1920, shell-shocked and depressed after the war, the man returns. He is surprised to see young saplings of all forms taking root in the valley, and new streams running through it where the shepherd has made dams higher up in the mountain. The narrator makes a full recovery in the peace and beauty of the regrowing valley, and continues to visit Bouffier every year. Bouffier is no longer a shepherd, because he is worried about the sheep affecting his young trees, and has become a bee keeper instead.

Over four decades, Bouffier continues to plant trees, and the valley is turned into a kind of Garden of Eden. By the end of the story, the valley has a vibrant ecosystem and is peacefully settled. The valley receives official protection after the First World War. (the authorities mistakenly believe that the rapid growth of this forest is a bizarre natural phenomenon, as they are unaware of Bouffier's selfless deeds), and more than 10,000 people move there, all of them unknowingly owing their happiness to Bouffier. The narrator tells one of his friends in the government the truth about the natural forest, and the friend also helps protect the forest.

The narrator visits the now very old Bouffier one last time in 1945, at the end of World War II In a Hospice in Banon, in 1947, the man who planted trees peacefully passes away.

Touching, isn't it? One man can make a difference. Why can't we? 

Mr. Chen in action

Questions and Answers session

Ck. Yani presenting a gift to Mr. Chen

Mr. Chen also gave the students a brief motivational talk. He said that "an individual is like a tree". Imagine yourself as a tree. 

The roots of the trees represent your family and friends. The more roots , the stronger and more stable the tree is. So the stronger your relationship is with your family and friends, they are able to support you in life. You will stand firm and feel more secured. 

The trunk continues to grow and will never change. This represents your attitude. 

The more leaves there are on a tree, the more healthy looking and presentable it is. The leaves represent your skills and talent. If you apply for a job, the employer will always choose the people with the most skills and talents. 

Would you buy a tree or plant with more or fewer leaves? More leaves, of course. This is because it will last longer. This is similar to a person. If you are very skillful, you will do well because you are most likely to succeed and you could survive longer in life. 

We enjoyed your company, Mr. Chen! Thank you for stopping by and giving us such an inspiring speech and  for motivating us to become better and more determined students. We had fun especially during the question and answer session. Your humour and warm, friendly approach would not be forgotten. We hope to see you in the future and we wish you the very best! 

MS Youth