Andy lost his Mom just before the holidays, and I know that when we near this time of the year there is a shadow that hangs over everything. I thought of that as Suzie and I picked up this year’s Christmas tree. Usually Andy does that, but with his new car and health issues, I decided to give it a whirl this year. When Suzie said she wouldn’t mind a tree strapped to her vehicle, we picked one up at Bob’s Tree Farm and proceeded to drive very carefully home.
Together, Andy and I trimmed the lower boughs and made a fresh cut into the trunk, then got it into its stand. Andy gamely strung it with lights, but I could tell he was hurting. He used to hang all the ornaments, and I think it reminded him of his mother. I hung a few new ones we got last year and left the rest for him to do. They remain untouched, as neither of us seems to be in the Christmas spirit these days.
When you’re no longer a child and your parents are gone, the holidays are a little trickier, and a little lonelier. A number of my friends are finding that out this year, and eventually it comes to us all. A moment of melancholy beneath the fragrance of a balsam tree… Christmas wrapped in contemplation.
