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Yesterday, during a discussion, we were talking about giving and receiving. While I was listening to one of my discussion friends, my thoughts flew away. I remembered the day I received one of the most valuable gifts of my life.

It was eleven years ago, my son Alexander was six years old. He was in primary school.

Every Wednesday from 12 to 1, after school time, he participated in a theatre group. The teacher’s daughter, Alicia, went to the same group as Alexander, and because they lived very close to our flat, the teacher had offered to bring my son back home every Wednesday.

One day while the teacher was coming back with the two children, she took a little detour because she had to buy something at the market. At the market Alicia and Alexander started to look at all the things they should buy on the day they became a millionaire. After a while Alicia had to admit that that day was still far away, so she went to her mother and asked her if she could have some sweets. Her mother said she could have some sweets and asked Alexander if he also would like to have some.

Alexander then told her that he did not want to have sweets. He had just seen some little plants, and he wondered if, instead of sweets, he could buy one of those plants for his mother.

When he came home with the tiny plant, and the teacher told me the story, I was stunned. Such a little boy, and he had asked for something for his mother instead of sweets for himself!

I like plants very much but, I do not know why, normally plants do not have a very long life with me. However, this little plant I’m protecting with my life. The proof is that today, after eleven years, the plant is still alive. It is not tiny anymore. It is now a plant with a height of almost 70 cm. During the last two years the plant even gave some little white flowers. It must be a very strong plant, but not as strong as the love there is between the now big and strong 17-year-old boy and his mother.

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