In the summer between my first year and second year in college, I was invited to be an instructor(辅导员)at a high school camp. On the first day, when we were dancing and playing games, I noticed a boy under the tree who was small and thin. His shyness made him appear weak. I walked towards him, introduced myself and invited him to join in the activities and meet some new people. He quietly replied, "No, I really don't want to do this." I could understand that he was in a new world but I knew it wouldn't be right to force him either. Actually, the boy didn't need a close talk but a friend.
At lunch the next day, I was leading camp songs when I saw the boy under the tree sitting alone. I tried again with the same invitation, but he refused once again. That evening I was told the boy's name was Tommy. Then I asked the campers to pay special attention to the boy and spend time with him when they could.
The days went by and the time came when we had to leave. We held a big, warm party to celebrate the closing of the camp. All the campers shared their wonderful moments. To my surprise, I found the boy from under the tree dancing joyfully with two girls. I couldn't believe it was the same person.
In October of my second year, I received a phone call from Tommy's mother. She told me that Tommy was hit by a car and died. I offered my deep sadness. The mother said, "Tommy mentioned you so many times. I want you to know that he went back to school and made new friends with confidence. You made a difference to Tommy during his last months."
At that moment, I realized how easy it was to give a bit of yourself every day. You may never know how much each gesture may mean to someone else. I hope that everyone can pay attention to his own "boy under the tree".
