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‘go green.’ From the best in tools, services, products and companies that are working each and every day to save our planet and better our lives, to the latest in government laws and regulations that will hopefully help our society remain healthy for a good, long time to come – The Green Register monitors it all and is the backbone of the ‘greening’ of our world. They work hard to stop that carbon footprint of ours from growing by giving us the most up-to-date and highly needed information. And just as the Endangered Species List protects our wildlife that is in need of our help, The Green Register protects the very air we breathe.
So, for this beautiful Christmas week where families and friends are joining together to celebrate life and the tremendous world we live in, this writer would like to share a story that is all about the Christmas Tree and the true meaning of a ‘green‘ Christmas.
Now, there are many ways to save the Christmas Tree. From recycling them once they are taken down and 2013 begins – to the purchasing of artificial trees in order to keep our forests alive and fresh for the next generation coming up behind us to enjoy. But I was one, one very lucky person, who received a truly amazing Christmas Tree one year that never had to be thrown out, recycled, and did not effect any of the beautiful forests in this country…
No matter where you are, everyone speaks about money. People dream about having ‘it’ – that financial cushion that will forever allow them to have what they want and never have to worry about anything ever again. And the one time money is most desired is when the holiday season comes along. Yes, Christmas centers on the enjoyment of family – spending time with your loved ones while decorating the house with pretty, sparkling ornaments and lights. Christmas is not there to worry about what gifts to purchase, or how to find a way to give a gift to someone you love who so desperately wants it.
But I once forgot the main reason for Christmas. I was exhausted by a job that wasn’t even close to my ‘life’s dream,’ and living in an apartment that was beyond desolate. The whole thought of, “I’m well off because I have a roof over my head and food in my daughter’s stomach,” never entered my mind.
That specific Christmas I wanted to give my best friend and absolute joy of my life a present she’d always wanted. I can’t even remember what it was now, but back then her little girl eyes lit up when she saw it, and I knew she wanted one of her very own. The saddest part, however, was the fact that not only could I not purchase the gift, I didn’t even have money for a tree. That made me sad. My whole life I had grown up in a family that had no money, but every year we had a beautiful tree in the center of the room that my sister and I decorated while the family sat around laughing and enjoying the fact that we were all together. The tree was a tradition.
Unlike me, this particular Christmas my daughter was enjoying herself immensely. Her friends at school were making cards and getting all excited about Santa getting suited up for his annual adventure. My daughter asked me one night why I was so ‘silent;’ she knew I was thinking about something and wanted to know what was bothering me. I told her about the tree…about the fact that we wouldn’t have one. But that beautiful face didn’t fall – it smiled brightly before racing over to the corner to grab her box of art supplies. Green construction paper appeared, the tape dispenser started rolling, and the small hand with the plastic scissors flew faster than any designer on Project Runway.
We laughed, we sang carols, we cut out ornaments, colored lights, and put the huge creation up on the wall. And staring at that miraculous tree (the most beautiful tree I had ever seen) is when it all came back to me – when all the worry about money and gifts went straight out the window. This was the moment when I remembered that it’s all about family, love, friendship and my daughter’s huge heart that now, at twenty-years-old, is still filled with magic.
I had no need for an angel on top of that tree because I had one with me, and every single day since I have been blessed to watch her grow up. Every Christmas, that tree is the only one I see; it is beautiful. But my ‘adult’ child is even more beautiful. And seeing that we’re still together, sharing each other’s lives, makes us the wealthiest people on the entire planet!
So whether it’s your child, your Labrador, your best friend, your family, or the person you see in the mirror every morning – ENJOY this holiday season and feel extremely blessed that they’re with you! Not only did my daughter save a tree…she made me believe again…and that belief hasn’t wavered since!
Have a VERY Happy Holiday!!
Until Next Time, Everybody,
Amy
www.thegreenregister.com
