THE EMPTY TREE

a few years back she lost her home, and with it, many of her treasured items.  the gangs of "out of control" teens and kids living in the mobile home subdivision behind her home felt it was their job to relieve her of her belongings, many of which she had held onto for many years.  among these treasures lost forever were a christmas tree and all of the many christmas decorations she had purchased and received as gifts throughout the years of her life.  the thing that hurt the most was that all of the little ornaments her daughter had made throughout her life were gone forever. 

for two years she had lived either on the street or in someone else's home, thus she didn't have need for a tree.  this year was different.  she had a place she could finally call home, and the entryway window screamed out for a tree.  her landlord's caretaker had given her a 4 foot tree with lights when she moved in, and she doubted she would use it.  but having nothing else to put up, she put it in the window, plugged it in, and voila, instant christmas tree..............sorta.  there were no ornaments to adorn the tree.  so, though it had lights, it still resembled the charlie brown christmas tree. 

she was working one evening and found some fake birds that had fallen off some christmas picks they sold there, and she knew they would be cast in the trash, so she secured them for her tree.  three little birds...............

upon entering her home, she placed the three birds on the tree, and said "well done".  her heart still ached for more decorations to adorn the sad little tree.  she was sharing with a couple of woman customers at work one night about the story of her loss of the ornaments and the pitiful little tree she now possessed, but that it was pretty to her, because it was all she had...........

the customers shared some stories of their own christmases past, and then left the store.

a week later one of these woman came back to the register with a bag full of something, handed them to the woman and said "an early christmas present".  she looked oddly at the woman, then noticed the other woman standing off to the side, and looked at her as well, then peered inside the bag.  there were 5 beautifully plumed victorian birds and 5 bright red cardinals in the bag, all to adorn a christmas tree with.  the woman who received the gift burst into tears, hugged the anonymous shopper, thanked her, and had to retreat to the restroom to wash her face and clear her tears.  what a wonderful gesture from perfect strangers.....................

this is a lovely story of renewed faith in humanity..............so often the people we encounter during this most wonderful season are hurried, angry, tired and don't have a kind word for anyone.  it is refreshing to know there are still nice people out there in this embittered world..............

but the one thing that makes this story truly amazing is that it really did happen.......... TO ME!!!!!!!!  and now i have the most beautiful tree around.........not just because it has beautiful birds on it, but because a couple of strangers reached inside their heart and their pocketbook to make someone else's christmas a little brighter..............

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO FIND LOVE AND COMPASSION IN THEIR HEARTS, THIS SEASON, AND YEAR ROUND......................