A Christmas Tree Story … but not only

I was living in the United States and Christmas was quickly approaching.

I despise the idea of buying a real Christmas tree because they are cut down for our selfish pleasure that lasts for a month or less. If you want a real Christmas tree, plant one in your garden and decorate it every year; otherwise buy a plastic one, because they are worth the investment.

I went shopping with my partner, Geo, at Kroger`s and as soon as we got out of the store we saw a wired enclosure which was housing lots of real Christmas trees for sale.

We decided to go, being curious about the prices. They were all beautiful; either small or big; they even had a few giants.

Far behind, at the end of the little trail, was a small one, thrown there like a useless object, along with other ripped off branches from other trees.

That wonderful tree, when it had roots, it used to take carbon dioxide from the air, and “exhale” oxygen, just so we can grasp another breath of clean air in our lungs. It did it without asking for anything in return, without being “too sick to go to work”, “caught up in daily problems”, “too angry to do anything”. Now IT was treated like a piece of garbage :(.

Geo asked me if I wanted to buy a Christmas tree. I said I want to know how much is the one laying in front of us. He called the vendor and I asked him about the price.

The vendor tried, of course, to make us aware of the diversity of his products and told us that we should look around; he was sure we will find a proper tree. He added that the one we were interested in lost its top when they were transported there, so it lost its value.

I couldn`t stop the tears coming down my face. I could barely breathe and I felt the anger building up inside my head. I am not a violent person but the only thought I had in my mind at that moment, was to jump on his throat and make him lose his own “top”, to see how much was he worth after that.

Geo knew I will not leave the place without that Christmas tree, so he told the vendor that we will take it. He looked at us confused, but he agreed.

I cried my eyes out until we got home, feeling angry that I am part of this human race, to live in a society that sacrifices EVERYTHING for people,  even if human beings have a lot of work to do until they evolve enough to deserve to even walk this wonderful Earth.

It`s been so long since that day …

I was, for a long time, the follower of the rule of conquering the “wars” through shouting and hullabaloo. Some I won, some I lost, but I never kept score to see if this barbarian style has over 50% chance of winning, but I learned a lot from them.

I saw that, sometimes, I was winning because the other person was “throwing the glove” with an enigmatic smile on his face.

I kept on asking myself what was hidden behind that smile. Well, it was the smile of the wise, which won the war by letting me think I was the winner. Strange, right?

It`s very simple to reply to a slap with another slap, or even a punch, but what is the end result of that fight? The one that keeps hitting back is our Ego, not the being inside of us.

I looked around and I`ve rarely seen people who know how to fight … clean.

The easiest way is the “slime” that we gathered, in time, about our “opponent”.

What happens when you throw mud, for real, at someone? Don`t you get dirty, as well?

As the real mud, the emotional one leaves “stains” inside our soul.

We are collecting more and more “stains”, without looking for a way of “cleaning” them, and we carry them around, like a bag of stones, affecting every relationship we try to build.

I recently had a discussion with a friend who had problems with his manager. He asked me what to do. I told him it`s up to him what kind of a “warrior” he chooses to be; a weak one that uses screams and bad words, or a strong one, capable of having a dignified and understanding attitude, and positive words.

He replied saddened that I am one of the few people who showed him that he has choices.

Since that day (the day of the Christmas Tree), I kept growing up, and I realized that the resentment I was feeling towards my peers wasn`t going to help me transform them, so I looked for other ways to do it; through love, acceptance, leniency, compassion and the potential to teach them that things can be done in a non-invasive way… and … it worked! 🙂

I cannot (yet) change the entire planet – I can after I clone myself :P, but, until then, I will do it one person at a time, every day, every single moment of my life.

I can`t say that it`s foolproof, I met my fair share of failures, but I never gave up.

It`s hard sometimes because I have the “skill” to help people, but they have to work with themselves, and some of them are not willing to do that.

I also learned, after a long time, that helping “by force” is breaking the free will rule, and, as a Wiccan, I cannot do that.

I rarely offer advice, and only if the person insists.

I am trying to plant the seeds of understanding and kindness not by teaching it, but by acting that way with the people around me. It`s the easiest way to learn for beings who want to evolve.

Since it`s Christmas season, I want to wish you all to be healthy, happy, loved and full of joy!

And, since I have an elf whispering in my ear, I will also wish you a Happy Hogmanay!! 🙂