The Tree

Shopping for

a Christmas Tree in Southern California is always a little under-whelming, in my opinion. I mean, if walking down aisle after aisle of Christmas trees in your mall’s parking lot in 80 degree weather is your thing, then please forgive me. Something about the fake snow blown on to the trees made me yearn for some real cold weather; they kind where you need some hot cocoa to warm your hands just as bad as you need it to warm your belly. I’m longing to see my own breath in front of me and it’s just not happening this year.

What is happening is picking our nose and eating it. So, there’s always that.

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A Christmas Story

We went the other evening to pick out our Christmas tree. It was there, in the lot of pre-cut trees with fake frosting that it dawned on me: Hooper is growing up. And fast. I watched as he weaved in and out of the aisles, hiding quickly behind one tree and then behind the next, popping out every now and again to say “boo” with the sneakiest little smirk on his face. It seems like just yesterday that I was swooning over his pitter patter. Pitter patter; you know, the sound toddlers make when they’re running. Only they don’t run so much as they gallop and they practically lose all self control with each step as if they’re running down hill only there is no hill, only a hallway.
I had Van in the front carrier and my camera, eager to catch every significant and insignificant moment, slung over my shoulder. I called out to Hooper every now and again to remind him that I was close by. Only he didn’t care. He was one amongst the Christmas trees. Every now and again, he’d pop out only run away once again. And I watched as he ran. And there was no pitter patter. Instead there was a well executed stride. Quick, deliberate, coordinated steps in quick succession. He was like an arrow darting away from me. I suppose that is how life will be from this point forward.
Side note: I saw someone on instagram post this quote from Gandhi and it’s been in my head ever since: “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.”

My thoughts are with everyone in this time of sorrow.

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