When my daughter was in primary school, she brought home four small seedlings（树苗）one day. None of them looked very strong.Over the years, because of the poor soil, three of them died. Only one was still alive．
In the end，it looked more like a fat bush（矮灌构）than a tree. A few years ago, I noticed that it was starting to die. Only the top part of the tree was still green. Last summer, I did my best to save it by feeding it a lot of fertilizer（肥料）, but it didn't work.
Later one morning, I went out and looked at it again. I was wondering whether it would be better to just cut it down. It was a bird patiently building a nest in the topmost branches. I smiled when I looked at it. The small tree was still useful. It might not be healthy or pretty, but it was still giving a bird home.
This tree tells me our lives have purposes. It doesn't matter if we are young and strong or old and sick. We can help to make this world a better and more beautiful place.
A. I almost gave it up.
B. The lower part had no leaves.
C. The seedling never got very tall.
D. However, I noticed something moving within the leaves.
E. The bird was so cute that my daughter liked it very much.
F. But with hope for the future, I planted them in our backyard.
G. Until our last breath, we have things to do, love to give, and joy to share.
