Tree of enlightenment
Originally uploaded by me.

Dana, our Norfolk Pine, came to our family last year after we lost our desire for the traditional experience. We enjoyed various evergreens for many happy seasons, until the fateful day when I suggested going to a local tree farm to harvest our own.

We trudged uphill in the snow and agonized over The Perfect Tree before chopping it down and dragging it for what seemed like miles back to the pay station. As we paid, the farm owner made a comment that changed everything. “That’s a nice one. It must be 11 years old.” The same age Moon was that year.

I looked at Pete and knew he was making the same connection. We had swung the axe. We had sap on our hands. Thus Dana served as our pseudo Christmas tree last year, except she didn’t take kindly to the ornaments. She has a tendency to lean (to the left! like everyone else in this family!). We almost skipped the whole tree thing this year.

But who says she needs to be a Christmas tree? Tomorrow is Bodhi Day, which marks the enlightenment of the Buddha. Dana seems to be okay with colored lights, which of course symbolize the many paths to enlightenment. At her base is a tiny sitting Buddha.

We will observe the actual day with meditation. Moon suggested tarot readings and runes, but I told her we should probably save those things for the solstice.