The Yuletide Tree
“Perhaps you were walking in woodland familiar to you. A place that brings you thoughts of the beauty, majesty and beneficence of a forest. Did the little tree invite you with a special charm? “Perfect,” You thought. “I receive this offering as Perfect. It has fulfilled its forest existence with quiet humility and grace.”
Perhaps the little tree was planted and cultivated by a farmer to end up in a home like yours, or perhaps it sprang up in the forest from the seeds of previous generations, surrounded with other voluntary upstarts, all drawing to light and sharing the vitality and breath of creation.
You chose it for its symmetry or something intangible about it that suited the space you would soon offer it, and you no doubt discovered that it had some peculiarities: Some branches splayed out; one side was a bit uneven; there were gaps that needed to be filled. It had to grow in a unique way to be vigorous and to receive light.
Once “home,” within the evenness of walls and windows, its form became more pronounced. Did you attempt to remove or alter its expression then, so it conformed to public appraisal? Remember, whatever its own expression while in the forest, it spoke intimately to your heart. So you allowed that vision to survive as you chose it.
You worked to share its vital verdure anew, stringing it with strands of brightly colored lights, garlands and metallic bulbs, hand-painted decorations, carved and mirrored collections specially sorted and saved from over the years.
Sitting there in front of your yuletide tree in silent admiration you were filled with its timeless message of Gladness and Hope.
O, if we could meet other humans beings with as much love and respect as we do our beloved Yuletide Tree!
If we could recognize how they too came to live and grow on earth, striving for growth, for light and companionship of their surroundings as we do.
Like this little tree, humans are born into conditions they cannot change and must adapt in order to survive and flourish.
Like this little tree’s branches some people have traits and virtues that seem disproportionate or overbearing.
It is for us to encourage them, to visualize their rightfulness and fruition, giving them adornments from our own treasures of divine qualities.
You brought this little tree from God's garden onto the hearth of your heart. It shared its truth and beauty with you as an offering, and you received it with love and joy.”
Swami Kamalananda
The Forest of Forever