As I sit here, I am trying to recall the last time my Thursday group gathered at our weekly hook-in and it escapes me. We are told to savor every moment, but do we? I always thought that I did but if 2020 has taught me anything, it is that I have been taking for granted some of life’s most precious moments and one of them is gathering with friends and of course family. I miss my Thursday’s and it only took a pandemic to make me realize how important and valued my little circle of “hooking” friends had become in my life. They inspire, motivate, educate, debate, challenge and entertain me. I love that I can be ‘me’ with them and they still keep coming! That is so awesome. If we were hooking this week it would most likely be our Christmas hook in so I would like to share a little story that I would have told them on Thursday.
Evan and Lukas went out back for a tree yesterday and returned with a really sorry looking spruce….small, thin and sparse in branches and needles. I didn’t think the branches would hold the weight of my ornaments and most definitely not all of them. I could lift that sucker up with one hand! The boys saw the look on my face and knew I didn’t like it and offered to go find another. Before I could respond, Evan explained that this tree was already dying which made it okay for him to cut it down. I see that it pains him to cut down a fine, healthy tree so I tell them that it’s the perfect tree for 2020. In my mind I am thinking, ‘Charlie Brown tree’ but I give them the smiley “thumbs up”. As we decorate this small, weak little tree I notice that the string of lights looks too thick for the branches, and the top of the tree bends over when Lukas puts the star on top. We select ornaments that are light and strategically place them on the tree to evenly distribute the weight. We use fishing line to tie the tree to the door behind it to make sure it doesn’t fall over. My most precious and delicate ornaments are still in the box and don’t make it onto the tree this year. Under different circumstances, this would be unthinkable and as I stood back to critique our wonky Christmas tree I saw that it was splendid. What a lovely end for this little tree.
I am relieved that 2020 is almost over but I will make its end as wonderful as possible, just like the little Christmas tree. For 2021 I will find joy in whatever small gifts the New Year will bring.
I would like to thank you all for your incredible support throughout this difficult year and wish you a peaceful, healthy and happy Christmas.
Hug the ones your with.
Martina