Translated…
A while ago, I went to the activity “A Date with the Authors”, hosted by the Taipei City Public Libraries, to publicize the book by Giono, “The Man Who Planted Trees”.
As a fitting member of the audience, I’d found the book first. It was, about a lonely shepherd, he’d transformed his nostalgia toward his family members into the love toward the land. Used his hand, as well as his determination, quietly, started planting trees in Provence, France, and, he’d done it, for thirty whole years since the beginning. He’d made a deserted hill side, into a lively world.
Although “The Man Who Planted Trees” only had about 6,000 words, but, the words were very well-written, the pictures, very beautiful, it’d moved me so after I’d read, and, it’s as if I could hear the water, changing that deserted patch into an oasis.
As I’d gone to the forum, and heard Mr. Cheng Wu sharing his thoughts with us, I’d realized, that he was not only a poet, but also, a man who planted trees too. He’d sighed about how outrageous “chopping trees down to pave the roads” is, and for this, he’d started the “making a forest on the land” activity. After hearing Cheng Wu sharing this, all of a sudden, it’d dawned on me, that there is a man who loved trees here, in Taiwan too.
I was truly, intrigued by this topic of interest, so, after I’d gone home, I’d logged online, to find out more about it, and, I’d discovered, that there are, even MORE men who planted the trees, it was really amazing, to discover this. Like Mr. Ming-Shi Lu’s suggestions of “Beauty in the Corner”, encouraging those who lived in the community to plant trees; the King of Trees of Taiwan, Mr. Lai planted over two hundred thousand trees up in the mountains, and turned the fruit farm that was ruined by pesticides into a forest…this tells us, that there are, a TON of people who are making their ideals into reality on this land.
But, I’d not seen them all in action, and, on the path to Nei-Go Creek, to see the cherry blossoms, I’d met another planter of trees—they were, a couple, they were fertilizing the cherry trees that had budded.
Because I was driven by my own curiosities, I’d started up a conversation with them. Turns out, that the trees on the sides of the creek weren’t government properties, they’d planted each and every one themselves. They’d taken the time when the cherry blossoms died, they’d started fertilizing the land, hoping that the cherry blossoms of the following years can benefit from that, so the travelers can enjoy the great sight.
Seeing how the two of them work together, digging holes, the weather was still kinda cold, but, sweat were rolling from their foreheads, with that look of satisfaction on their faces. There are, a TON of people who loved this land deeply.
Other than just being moved, I’d started introspecting too, although I couldn’t become a member of the tree planters’ group, but I can make sure, that I do my share for the environment from day to day too. I’d hope, that the public, can manage to recycle whenever they could, to give back to this land that we live and grow on, to make an even more beautiful life for ourselves.
And so, this, is how knowing someone’s putting her/his hearts and souls into a cause can make someone else take action, and, all it takes is that small thought, to make this world a better place, after all, we are, all sharing this environment, and, if we don’t take care of it, then, who will???