Lots of people I know
are making changes this holiday season.
Some are adding new traditions,
some are throwing several out the door.
Most are making their choices,
despite much resistance from outside forces.
Others have no choice
but to let change occur.
We have always been very firm believers
in cutting our own fresh trees
for Christmas.
Real trees.
Ok, the kind that actually smell.
The sort that you hunt for in snow pants,
with everyone pointing in different directions,
the dog sniffing madly
and someones boots ALWAYS
continue to come untied. With all but 2 people pulling
branches apart to let the ones with the saw belly crawl under to
work madly at first then begin ordering everyone to
just push itthe rest of the way over.
Hot chocolate and cookies usually are on the house
as part of the cost of the tree and are always welcomed.
This happens to be a "make due" season for me,
in many ways as raising 4 children on a small farm
sometimes leaves no choice but
make due.
Solomon REALLY needed a tree one night and he and Doug
were actually going to buy a PRE-CUT tree
as I was not feeling well.
By the time they arrived at the nearest neon lighted
parking lot converted into a field of aromatic pines,
it was freezing rain. No deal.
They returned with Doug telling Solomon
to go dig out the "artificial" tree that we used
in our fifth wheel adventure in 2005.
He thought that sounded like a fun project to work on
until we could finally bring home The Tree.
Days flew by and ornaments began to adorn fake tree
until we all decided that we were fine with the fake tree
for this year. We even realized that it matters very little.
It felt different, a change beyond my control, filled with memories of
celebrating Christmas in the Florida Keys and the same ornaments
that filled our huge "real trees" were condensed this year
to fit our smallish, fake tree that doesn't smell like anything
and even fits into our dining room.
And It's okay.
This is how small the tree is.
I like to need a laddar to decorate the top 1//3.
This is also a reflection of how everyone
has grown.
After wrapping tonight
with the lights off but for the
sparkle of the mini lights,
I felt secure and serene,
peaceful knowing
that I have successfully
walked through one more change
and I am still okay.
Thankful for yet another
Christmas with a healthy family
and focusing
on what is real and meaningful
even if it is artificial.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
