Because the jujube trees were planted close to the courtyard wall, my father cut off all the branches against the wall when he grew up. Later, I was afraid that the tree would grow too high and it would be inconvenient to pick dates. My father also cut off the upward branches.
In this way, the remaining branches can only extend in one direction. For some reason, the trunk tilted to one side. It looks like an old man with a crooked neck, hunchback and legs.
It has no straight posture and no symmetrical crown. Looking at it gives people a feeling of low eyebrows and no vitality. Isn't this ugly and funny?
However, this crooked old jujube tree, though not beautiful, once brought infinite happiness to my niece's childhood.
Because this is a crooked-neck tree, my brother tied two ropes to the thickest branch at the corner, and tied a board under it to make a swing frame.
Swing is the children's favorite game. Swing and my niece had a happy childhood.
How many times, this lovely little girl sat on the swing, swinging up and down like a bird with wings, happy laughter echoed in the yard, and a picture of a happy family was touching.
The niece grows up year by year, and the jujube tree thickens year by year. The neck of jujube seems to be bent more severely. Is it bent by my niece's cute appearance on the swing?
This old jujube tree is ugly, and its dates are not delicious. Thick skin, big core and thin meat. It's not so crisp and sweet, and it's a little sour. Every year, when the dates are ripe, we don't like them.
Later, one time, my brother suggested planing trees. The younger brother said that the jujube was not delicious, and the swing frame had already been dismantled. What can I do with such an ugly and impractical jujube tree?
But my mother objected, and she didn't want to plan it. She always said, it's a pity to plan after so many years. When my brother saw his mother's opposition, he gave up the idea.
Later, when the dates were harvested, my mother put them away and dried them. When steaming steamed bread, she used a wall-breaking machine to beat jujube into jujube paste and put it into noodles to make jujube steamed bread.
Needless to say, although fresh dates are not delicious, they are made into jujube steamed bread, which is sweet and soft. Take a bite, and the scent of jujube will instantly arouse people's appetite. Jujube steamed bread has become a delicious food at the dinner table.
Mom said that dates are very nutritious and can't be wasted. It's not that the dates on this tree are not delicious, but that they are not eaten properly. Just like people, where are the shortcomings and advantages? The key is to find out.
I suddenly admire my mother. She must be proud of discovering the advantages of jujube, right? In her simple view, there is a profound philosophy: knowing people and being good at their duties can make a person give full play to his special skills and reflect his personal value.
Many times, we often stare at other people's shortcomings and neglect to tap our potential advantages. As everyone knows, this is a short-sighted performance, but also a performance without pattern and tolerance.
We should learn from our mother, and don't deny a person easily, otherwise it will be like the old jujube tree with a crooked neck. Without her mother's retention, how can we eat sweet jujube steamed bread?
Later, when I saw this crooked old jujube tree again, I felt a kind of respect. At that time, because of the improper growth position, it suffered relentless destruction, but it was still strong and alive.
It didn't give up growing up because it was ugly. Even though it assumed the burden it shouldn't bear in the process of growing up, it silently forbeared and gave her niece so many wonderful childhood memories.
This is an ugly jujube tree, but it is also a great jujube tree. Let fate destroy it, vilify it and bully it, but it is still low-key and strong, insisting on doing what it should do, and finally welcoming the acceptance and recognition of this world! Isn't this the greatness of it?
I sincerely admire this crooked old jujube tree!