Why our Christmas tree is still up

 

The short answer is "because we're still enjoying it."

But there is, of course, the long, longer, and longest version. 

 As my friend Michael used to say to me, "can't you please, for once, give us the Reader's Digest version of this story?!"  Lord A Mercy, I do miss Michael Dean.

So.

I like to read in bed.

Some days, I'll read all day (have I mentioned how much I love being retired?).

And no, I rarely feel guily about it.

I'm 72 years old.  I started working when I was 16.  

Feel Guilty?    Pfffftt.

Guilt is for other people - not me.  Certainly not for something as benign as spending a day reading in bed.

While I'm reading in bed, this is what I see when I look up - 

And it has brought me comfort.

This has been a very hard year for everyone.

Taking pleasure in small things has been life-saving.  And I do not say that lightly

And I have taken enormous pleasure in our small  pink tree.

There are dozens of symbols related to Christmas trees and every family has their own traditions when it comes to Christmas trees; some based on religious practices, some purely secular, and some based simply on when busy families find the right time for them to do whatever it is they feel like they want to do that particular year.

We would have normally taken it down and put it away by this time but this year.  And I did think about that every single day beginning on January 1, which is when we normally pull out the boxes and packing up.

The few Christmas sit-abouts we put out are back in their hiding places.

But this tree -   -   -   -

This tree has been a joy this year.  If I have to pick one word as the symbol it represents to me this year it would be "hope."

The plan to put it away on January 1 came and went.

It was still a comfort.

And then January 6th happened.

We watched with disbelief as people started streaming into The Capitol building.

The disbelief became fear and sadness and anger as it became clear this was not a normal legal protest.

These were criminals.

Thugs and punks.

Intent on doing harm.

As the days go on we learn just how intent they were.

As inconceivable as it sounds, it could have been so much worse.

This mob failed in that regard.

They didn't get to hang Mike Pence.

They didn't get to shoot Nancy Pelosi in the head.

Those were words heard, and recorded.  

Words spoken by American citizens in this mob invited to Washington, D.C. by donald trump.  Those damning words were also recorded; "the president invited us!"

Invited to do harm. 

While we were watching the violence on TV, so was the president of this United States.

They didn't do as much harm as they wanted.

They say they're coming back.

If they do and the havoc they plan on wreaking is still in our future.  It could all start playing out today and possibly last at least through Inauguration Day.  

But the sad age of trump isn't going to go away anytime soon. 

He spent years fomenting violence, turning over rocks to reveal the scum living under them, inviting that scum to show the world their worst selves.  They have no plans to go back under those rocks.

We can only hope that the good and decent overcome.

We can only hope for the safety of the good and decent.

So.

Our plan, right now, is to leave the tree in place until Joe Biden is safely in office.

Trump was impeached for inciting insurrection.  IF convicted (fingers crossed!), maybe we'll put up another tree and and cover it with our own symbols of hope and beauty and things we love.

We'll call it our Tree of Hope.