being the christmas tree

this was written december 24, 2011. i sent it to some friends on email. it was more timely then but i want to keep it with my other posts and can't figure out how to put it in chronologically, so here it is. 

dear friends,
i hope you enjoy the writing that follows.  consider it my christmas card to you. 

i was raised jewish. i have no christmas memories from my childhood.  though i never had christmas as a kid, it is only now, when i'm 60 years old that i am longing for a child's christmas.  living up here in the great north is a guaranteed white christmas. not only is it exquisitely beautifully white, it is also exquisitely peacefully white.  i have not heard any canned xmas music forced on me, or been inundated with advertising.  people are wishing each other happiness as they pass in the streets or stores. i rang the bell for the salvation army on december 21 (solstice) in our little mall.  well it is three stores, x-tra foods grocery store, fields  everything discount store, and the pharmasave. the whole time i listened to the sounds of people talking, laughing, shopping, etc. without the piped in christmas music or advertising posters.  i said an inner mantra, rang the bell to it's beat, and wore a natural smile as i imagined all the people as bright white lights moving around in clear light.  i was quite lit up myself with a huge smile as a giveaway. i noticed if i looked at people it sometimes triggered a reaction  involving giving a donation.  i didn't want anyone to think i was a sales person for the salvation army or that they were any more or less for giving money, so i stopped making eye contact. i was doing swami nithyananda's teaching of going to the mall and blessing everyone. fun. 
this morning (december 24, 2011) i woke up thinking about the christmas tree.  i pretended we had one here in our home.  (we have a perfect place to put it.)  in my mind i decorated this gorgeous green being with colored lights.  an angel or a star on top i questioned.  i wanted both.  then i imagined i was the tree.  a spiritual teacher i had when i was young taught that we are inverted trees with our roots in heaven. when thinking this i saw my physical body as the green tree with physical roots in the earth, and my soul as the star angel at the top with intrinsic roots in heaven.  i am so connected to everything.  so whole. so i am having my christmas experience.  i think jesus, the jewish rabbi who was a brilliant embodiment of love, lived christmas every day.  it is a blessing to have made one day survive into our calendar.  maybe someday it will not be a religious holiday, but a way of life.  joy to the world. 
merry christmas every day.
allisone