O, Christmas Tree
One December afternoon a few years back, the clatter of falling ornaments startled me. My sons, then ages 9 and 11, sheepishly confessed to an epic mishap—while playing tag in our den, they’d barreled through the doorway behind our brightly decorated Christmas tree, knocking it over like a domino.
In their earnest effort to make things right, they had worked together to stand the tree back up, rearranging the garlands and ornaments to the best of their ability. Seeing their proud faces and well-intended handiwork, I had a choice:
1. Quietly ‘fix’ the garlands and ornaments—while they were out of the room—to meet my standard of perfection.
2. Leave it be.
I chose door #2.
For the rest of the season, our tree stood proudly—slightly disheveled but full of life. It became a symbol of something more precious than perfection: presence with one another, the joy of childhood play, honesty, and redemption ushered in amid chaos and disruption.
How often in life—personally or professionally—do we face moments like this? A well-laid plan derails due to an unintended mishap, or a colleague’s sincere attempt at remedy falls short of our preferred resolution. In those moments, we have a choice in how we respond. Sometimes, yes, precision is required, and details must be addressed to the letter. But other times, the greater gift lies in acceptance, grace, and seeing the beauty of what is.
With the strains of Nat King Cole’s Christmas tunes lingering in my ears (the boys listened each night to his album and the soundtrack of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" as they drifted off to sleep), the final verse of this carol echoed a deeper truth:
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
Your boughs can teach a lesson
That constant faith and hope sublime
Lend strength and comfort through all time
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
Your boughs can teach a lesson
This season—and beyond—may we embrace life’s imperfect moments with the same faith and hope, seeing them not as disruptions but as opportunities for growth, connection, and grace. After all, the beauty of the Christmas tree was never in its perfection but in the hands that righted it and the love that stood behind it.
