Stand Tall

Stand Tall

I find that I can learn a lot from the things around me. Take Christmas trees for example. You’re probably thinking, “You’ve got to be kidding me!” I know. It sounds strange, but stay with me.

I realize that it’s January 5th and Christmas is well over. But, this morning as I was sitting on my couch sipping on a hot coffee, I was reminded of the Christmas tree that I have yet to take down. It’s not looking as pretty as it did when I first decorated it. That might have to do with the fact that it wasn’t fastened properly to its stand from the start and has come crashing down…twice. It got re-arranged those two times, but somehow, it’s lost its original decorative zeal in our living room.

Nonetheless, my tree stands there wearing many looks. There is a part that bears its original resemblance to the day that I decorated it. Shiny red and silver bulbs hang amidst tinsel and handmade decorations that the boys made in school when they were little. It is the glorious part of my tree. Yet, not too far away is the tussled and tangled side. Some of the bulbs have come off and things are in disarray. And then, there’s the remaining part of the tree, which is completely bare. Surprisingly enough, it is still lush and green. Maybe there’s something in that.

At first, I looked at the bare part and thought, “How empty and ugly”. But, in fact, now that I think about it, the bare part of the tree is the best part. It’s as though it’s standing there saying, “This is who I really am. I don’t have to be adorned to be beautiful. I’m tall, I’m green and I rather like myself.”

Christmas trees are so much like people. How do we feel about ourselves when we stand “bare and surrendered” in our lives? Like the tree, we can go through times in our lives when things come crashing down. Aspects of our lives can get into complete disarray. There are even times when we feel completely stripped and bare, tipping over and hardly able to stand.

Do we feel a need to adorn our lives with extras? Are we so concerned about what others think that we have to hide ourselves behind “shiny, elaborate ornament like a lifestyle we can’t maintain, an image that seems acceptable to others, or even the masks we wear because we don’t like who we see in the mirror? Or can we stand confident in who we are, clothed in the joy and simplicity of transparency, honesty and reality?

Like the bare Christmas tree, we can stand with the full assurance that we are enough. We have all that we need if we’re willing to let go of all that we think we should be or that others think we should be. The ornaments in our lives dress up the original masterpiece – us! Why not just stand tall in your shoes and revel in the joy of who you are. Just like the Christmas tree you are uniquely made, beautiful and a fragrance to the world.

Now, I bet you were wondering what I could possibly say about Christmas trees.