Thanks to the Three Kings

Right before Christmas I wanted so much to write a post…a post about Christmas, about the fun, the family, the friends and the great food shared during this very special season. I was bummed because Christmas came and went and I never really finished the post I had started. A few nights ago at mass, I was reminded that the Christmas season really continues up until Jan. 6th for the arrival of the three kings. Thank goodness for those three guys or this post may have gone the way of my many other “drafts.” Therefore feeling like I still had time, I thought I’d go ahead and write a little something of Christmas. Really, of my Christmas Tree…

My very first Christmas tree after I got married was not a tree at all, it was an Aloe Vera plant. I know it’s weird, but we didn’t have a lot of money and my husband was allergic to live trees. We had planned to get a really nice “fake” one after Christmas. Anyhow, we’d only been married four months and one of the things my Grandma made sure I had “packed” when I left the Valley was a good sized terra cotta potted Aloe plant. There are a number of reasons it just had to make the trek with us, mostly surrounding it’s powerful healing capabilities, and sharp thorns able to deter any would be burglar from hopping over my apartment balcony, but really it was just one of those things I did because she told me to. We brought it in, draped a few strands of red beads I’d bought at Pier One and dangled the three or four “ornaments” I found around the apartment. It was actually pretty cute.

What ever happened to that aloe plant? Well it traveled with us to each new place we moved and eventually got transplanted in the ground out in the backyard under the fig tree. Yes, right under what it now my “Wishing tree, a Christmas tree of sorts. I think there is something special about what lies beneath that tree and the healing powers of that plant I believe to be so deeply rooted in its soil.

I’m not sure how but I know it was no mistake that these two pieces of nature have collided here in my yard. There are many baby aloes that have volunteered surrounding the base of nearly the entire tree. I’ve kept a little square freed of the volunteers directly beneath it, as well as the path that leads up to it, but to its left the ground is completely covered with them. So as a little homage to that first Christmas, tree and to our Wishing Tree of today as well, I decided to decorate a few it’s “branches” again with some of those same red beads I used that first Christmas so long ago.

As we enter this New Year…I invite any of you out there who might have something they would like us pray or wish for, to feel free to send me something to hang in our tree. It can be anything, a tag, a little ornament, a ribbon, or banner. I guess really anything you’d like. Just keep in mind that it will be out in the weather and will be open to the elements. I have a few wishes that have been laminated that are doing fine and lots of other little things that are weathering nicely as well. I’m not sure why I’m so taken with this tree thing, but I think there’s a reason, so I’m doing it and I invite any of you out there who’d like to be a part of it to do so to. I know it’s kind of crazy, but it’s a good crazy I think.

And just as what lies beneath our feet can be holy and healing so can that which we choose to let dangle in the wind, like the ancient Tibetan prayer flags. While I can make no promises and hope you won’t yourself expect too much from me or my tree, what I can offer is this small space where many thoughts can come together for the power of good. I guess it’s that simple. It’s probably not for everyone but if you’re reading this hopefully it speaks to you. Just email me and let me know you have something and I’ll email you back with the address and a photo of what your special addition looks like in our tree. I’ll try to do better with posting to keep up on its overall progress as well. Here’s a few pics of what it looks like now in winter. So much sparser without its giant velvety leaves, but I still think
it's cool.