Our Blue Spruce
This is a little story that should have been told earlier.
While living in the basement that first Christmas after W and I were married, we had bought a live blue spruce tree. Our first Christmas Tree. The first chance we got after Christmas , we planted our tree in the front yard. It was a not too cold, wet day that was good for the tree, but miserable weather for us. I still remember planting that tree clearly. I took a picture of JT standing beside the tree that spring. Then again the following spring, another picture of a growing JT and the growing blue spruce. The third spring, W took the picture of JT and me, because I was very pregnant. Then another picture of JT and his brother the spring TK was almost a year old standing beside our healthy 6 foot plus blue spruce tree. Without at first intending it, I'd started a family tradition. But, it ended with only one picture of both boys. Because just before that next Christmas, someone cut down and stole our tree.
I was devastated. I cried all day and I cried harder every time I looked out the window at that raw stump where our first Christmas Tree had been. The Sheriff was called of course. But, he didn't seem to take the theft seriously. It didn't look like anyone would be looking for the culprits. So I wrote a letter to the Editor of the local newspaper explaining how it hadn't just been a blue spruce tree. I told about the pictures and what that first Christmas Tree meant to a new family hoping for a long future together watching our tree and our kids grow. I wanted to shame someone into realizing what their careless, foolish act had caused. I wanted them to feel our pain and know they had spoiled our Christmas by taking our beautiful tree.
The letter touched the Editor. He sent a photographer out to take a picture of JT and TK standing beside the cut stump of our tree. Then they put the picture and my letter on the Front Page Center of the paper.
It didn't actually help. No one ever came forward to snitch and no charges were ever pressed. Since the tree had actually been taken away, our insurance did replace the tree. Everyone seemed to think that was good enough. But, I never did take any pictures of my boys beside the new tree. It just wasn't the same.
While living in the basement that first Christmas after W and I were married, we had bought a live blue spruce tree. Our first Christmas Tree. The first chance we got after Christmas , we planted our tree in the front yard. It was a not too cold, wet day that was good for the tree, but miserable weather for us. I still remember planting that tree clearly. I took a picture of JT standing beside the tree that spring. Then again the following spring, another picture of a growing JT and the growing blue spruce. The third spring, W took the picture of JT and me, because I was very pregnant. Then another picture of JT and his brother the spring TK was almost a year old standing beside our healthy 6 foot plus blue spruce tree. Without at first intending it, I'd started a family tradition. But, it ended with only one picture of both boys. Because just before that next Christmas, someone cut down and stole our tree.
I was devastated. I cried all day and I cried harder every time I looked out the window at that raw stump where our first Christmas Tree had been. The Sheriff was called of course. But, he didn't seem to take the theft seriously. It didn't look like anyone would be looking for the culprits. So I wrote a letter to the Editor of the local newspaper explaining how it hadn't just been a blue spruce tree. I told about the pictures and what that first Christmas Tree meant to a new family hoping for a long future together watching our tree and our kids grow. I wanted to shame someone into realizing what their careless, foolish act had caused. I wanted them to feel our pain and know they had spoiled our Christmas by taking our beautiful tree.
The letter touched the Editor. He sent a photographer out to take a picture of JT and TK standing beside the cut stump of our tree. Then they put the picture and my letter on the Front Page Center of the paper.
It didn't actually help. No one ever came forward to snitch and no charges were ever pressed. Since the tree had actually been taken away, our insurance did replace the tree. Everyone seemed to think that was good enough. But, I never did take any pictures of my boys beside the new tree. It just wasn't the same.
posted by LeeAnn | 3:35 PM
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