There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn to be patient and wise. So he asked them to take turns looking at a pear tree that was far from their home.
The first son went in winter, the second in spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in autumn.
After they came back, he called them together and asked them what they saw.
The first son said that the tree was ugly and weak.
The second son didn't think so. He said it was covered with green buds(花蕾) and full of hope.
The third son didn't agree with them. He said it was covered with flowers that smelled sweet and looked beautiful.
The last son also had his own idea. He said the tree was ripe(成熟的) and full of fruit, ready to be picked.
The man then explained to his sons that they were all correct but not complete because each of them saw just one season in the tree's life.
He told them that you cannot judge(评价) a tree or a person by only one season. You can see how someone changes and grows as time goes by — some periods are happy, while others are sad. If you only see someone when they are living through the "winter" of their lives, you will miss the hope of their spring, the beauty of their summer, and the greatness of their autumn.
