51 Wednesdays

A tree for all seasons....

One of the things I have challenged myself for in 2014 is to say "YES" more. My youngest daughter has asked for the last few years if we could leave the Christmas tree up all year long. I've always said no. It just wasn't done. Like all children, my daughter loves to ask the question, "why?". I realized that I didn't have an easy answer to that. So, a few weeks ago, while looking at the tree, I asked myself, "why not?".  I anxiously awaited the moment when she would ask if we could keep the tree up this year. That moment never came. She didn't ask this time. That made me sad. My youngest daughter is so full of imagination and life and whimsy. When she didn't ask about the tree, I felt as if I had killed a part of her by saying no so often. I wasn't nurturing her zest for living, instead, I was slowly suffocating it from her.

That tree haunted me. It was still up. I couldn't take it down. The tree usually comes down the day after Christmas. Not this time. It felt as if I would be harming my daughter in some way if I took it down.

The next day, I told her we would be keeping the tree up. I needed her help in making valentine decorations for the tree. Oh, the years I missed out on the smile that she gave me when I said that. Light and life and dreams and possibility shone through her eyes. That tree is now a symbol of the celebration of living for me. It's our celebration tree. I wish I had said yes sooner, but the important thing is I am saying yes now.

I challenge you to say yes to something you haven't before. Say yes!

Love and Blessings!
Bri