That thing refers to: when the author was 4 years old, he picked up the leaves on the ground and buried them in the soil, hoping that they would sprout and grow into trees.
2. What is the main point of this article? How to express the author's thoughts and feelings?
This article is mainly written like this: The author encourages people to keep childlike innocence through a story of planting leaves in adults' eyes when they were young, and don't lose their enthusiasm, honesty and innocence for people and things because of adults' indifference, sophistication and hypocrisy.
The author hopes that people will keep some childhood enthusiasm and innocence, have a pure sky and not be polluted by the world. Expressed the author's desire and call for enthusiasm, honesty and innocence.
Extended data
Read the original text of a leaf of a plant:
Bury a leaf and stubbornly believe that it will eventually grow into a towering tree. This is the best dream of childhood.
In the autumn when I was 4 years old, yellow leaves fell on the tall branches. I was playing in the yard and bent down to pick one up. It was very nice. After enjoying it for a long time, I suddenly had a strange idea: this leaf, once a part of Uncle Shu, will grow into the same big tree after being planted in the soil!
So I picked up many leaves, knelt on the ground and dug a small pit, and buried all the leaves in the soil. Just like my mother gave birth to me, I will grow up slowly. I firmly believe that my dream will come true soon.
I squatted in the place where I planted leaves every day, waiting for my big tree until it snowed heavily. I think the leaves are afraid of the cold, so they dare not come out. They will grow better next spring! I still stubbornly adhere to my dream until the swallow holds the mud and the willow shoots. ...
When I grew up, I realized that I had woven a beautiful fairy tale for myself with childlike innocence. Those leaves buried in the soil have become the pillars of my life, shielding me from more and more ups and downs on the road of growth and propping up a blue sky for me. That thing, I will be proud of it all my life. ...
I remember someone said: with adults, we learn from each other's indifference, sophistication and hypocrisy; Being with children infects their enthusiasm, honesty and innocence. Although the words are somewhat biased, in the journey of life, people always use the mirror of "childlike innocence" to examine their increasingly weathered hearts.
The innocence of childhood; That childish and ridiculous every move; Those clear and transparent eyes, without any impurities, are not abandoned by us as "childish"? Every step people take will leave something behind, and what people often throw away at will is also the most precious, that is, the crystal clear childlike innocence.
Plant a leaf and you will have a towering tree.