[Oe List ...] A Refection: O CHRISTMAS TREE OF LIFE

[Ellie Stock]

On this eighth day of Christmas--continued Christmastide and New Year greetings and blessings.


Ellie :)
elliestock at aol.com 




A Reflection:   (also slightly reformatted in attachment):





O CHRISTMAS TREE OF LIFE
Beautifulfir tree,
freshscent of pine and the bitter outdoors from which it was uprooted,
nowdomesticated, a center piece of the family room, warmed by videoed hearth,
waitsto be adorned and adored for the Christmas season.
 
Firstcome the lights, woven intricately through its needled branches,
thestarry night cosmos begun so many millennia ago, 
itsfire and energy birthing this Christmas Tree of Life and
illuminatingemerging species since the first burst of dawn.
 
Nextare the shiny red balls, the Sun Star that sustains Earth, and
Grandma’sheavy blue ball, Earth our Common Home.  
Whiteand gold Chrismons weave another narrative 
ofthis Tree of Life:  Creationing,prophesying, 
incarnating,sacrificing, restoring, communing, 
resurrectingEarth and All that is in it.
 
Redbows proclaim the gift of this wondrous, sacred, extravaganza of time andspace.
Andsimple, mostly gifted ornaments of all sizes, shapes and colors
celebratethe surging uniqueness, diversity and cooperation
unfolding,enfolding our universal story and 
permeatingour individual and family memories,
propellingus into the future unknown.
 
Sunflowers,walnut-shelled-cotton-bearded Santas, God’s Eyes, Dream Catchers, and NutCrackers;
candycanes, crosses, chullos, and steepled churches;
photopins of children, friends, MLK Jr., and Mandela;
ceramicPeruvian cherubim playing flutes, violins, horns and harps; 
homemade,hand-cut and shaped metal snowflakes and stars;
asingle purple blown glass tear drop that weeps for lives gone too soon or toofar;
andfragile, delicately and intricately painted Slavic eggs;
nativityscenes, origami creatures, peace doves and frogs;
humanfigures, Earth balls, bells, and Tibetan prayer flags.
 
Atthe foot of the trunk, a babe’s manta cloth robe of many colors embraces this heritageand legacy, 
and,at the top, an angel keeps watch like the eagle hovering over the Great WhitePine Tree of Peace,  
itsstreams of mercy gracing the branches as scotch plaid ribbons flowing to thefour directions.
 
But,not alone, this Christmas Tree of Life extends its diorama
tocloth, ceramic, glass, and wooden nativity scenes in this and neighboringrooms;
towindowsill welcome candles, peace and cosmic Advents wreathes and Feliz Navidadtrees;
toivy light strands, greeting cards, manta stockings with llama bells, and giftsunder the boughs.
 
Andgathering as friends and family among, within and around this Tree of Life,
wefeast, sing, dance, play instruments, make joyful noises,
exchangegifts and plunge with open hearts and eyes into the swirling silence andstillness of 
thePromise of New Life and Light amidst an often dark and threatening world.
 
Surroundedand joined by a cloud of witnesses—
visiblenow or invisible in your metamorphic mulched return to the Earth—
O ChristmasTree of Life, you proclaim:
Hopebeyond hope, Peace passing understanding,
Joyand Thanksgiving unceasing, and Love unconditioning—
Evermoreand evermore….Amen…                                                                    ejhs:1/02/2018




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