There are five trees that we decorate this time of year.  One tree stands out from the rest in that it has specific decorations that go with it.  Each decoration creates smiles and memories from years past.

 

This tree came to us in 2013 after my sister and a friend tied on the ornaments, gathered up the beginning decorations around the base of the tree and then delivered it to be part of a local Festival.  

 

A group of us arrived with the three-foot creation to arrange a joyfully crafted tree skirt as a final touch.  Pictures were taken and I thought of the home this small, yet love filled tree would find. 

 

Amazingly, the tree was returned to our home in a grand yet sweet act of caring. 

Leaking eyes of disbelief and gratitude found all of us that day!

 

These years later, the tree remains in our home.  It is on display for an extended time with many more decorations than it started with.  

 

Yet, with the same tree skirt and the base of ornaments to remind everyone who comes near it of that love filled start. 

 

This year seemed to bring many new items and the box overflowed with stuff as I was cleaning up. 

 

As I tried to get them all to fit into the box again and again with no success, I suddenly looked at it all with new eyes and said out loud

Get a bigger box

Julia, get a bigger box. 

 

Now, I had been working to make everything fit into the same box I had used in the past years for at least ten minutes.  

Rearrange.  Nope, that will not work.  Take those four things out.  

 

How about now?  I don’t think so. 

 

Take it all out. Put that llama on the side. That would never work!

 

Get a bigger box. 

 

A simple idea that had not come to me sooner because sometimes I keep doing what has always been done.  It worked in the past so it should work now. 

 

Tell me that is what at last one of you has thought. 

 

No?  Yes? 

 

Do I need to tell you that I did go down and get a bigger box out of our storage room?  

 

Yes, I did.  There were all sorts of boxes down there.  Always were.  I even had plastic storage bins available! 

 

I laughed as I walked back up the stairs with a new box, rearranged everything with room to spare and grinned. 

 

Why is it that I kept going with what had always been?  

Two reasons

Two reasons for me this time.  

 

This box is what the items came in the first time from that Festival. 

I am sentimental.  That box had the aisle this small tree had been on display marked on the side.  It was on aisle F, in case you are curious. 

 

Aaaahh.  I know! I hold onto things and then remember the moment. 

 

Let go of the thing.

 

Hold onto the moment and the memory.

 

The second reason is that sometimes I think we all get stuck in the routine of life.  Keep going in the same space. 

Find that lane that feels comfy and go into autopilot. 

 

That is also what I did. I was getting comfy during a moment of rhythm.  Just keep going with what is in front of me.

 

I got cleaned up from one time of year before gearing up for the next. 

 

Realizing that the box was not big enough, absolutely not going to work, pulled me out of my comfy lane and got me into my thinking mode. 

 

That is also what needs to happen sometimes. 

 

I need to get out of autopilot and into paying attention to what can be done better at times. 

This can be an ongoing quest. 

Paying attention to even the small things such as getting a different box. 

 

That is a quest worthy of time, pause and bits of effort.  Perhaps the next lane is also worth it. 

 

What is your quest, my friends?  Let’s check it out together and see what happens!