Holiday Perspective

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!