O Christmas Tree...

I passed the Great Hall on the way back to my room and beheld a 15-foot Christmas Tree bedecked with lights and handmade ornaments crafted by an adorable group of children who had been here at the I-House this afternoon. Such a beautiful sight :)

It was one of those moments where some unseen force - some spiritual manifestation of Life - takes you by the hand and leads your consciousness back to another time, bringing a wash of memories and happy associations to the domain of the present, leaving you with a Sense. A wonderful Presence, reminding you that you are breathing, feeling, and alive, very much in the here and now. A moment to enjoy.

At 15 feet tall, the Chistmas Tree made me feel like a small, joyful child again. It was the same feeling of holiday wonder at the age of 8, long-lost to time and revived by the sight of a tree more than fully twice my height in a warm and dimly lit room. The ceiling of the Great Hall is two stories high; no wonder it made me feel as though I were eight years of age again; the scale was just perfect. The room seemed cavernous, ceiling arching high over my head, air filled with the thick scent of crisp pine needles, the tree's height evoking memories of a towering Parent whose arm alone could I reach, hug, and in doing so, feel secure. I spent a good ten minutes just standing next to and gazing at the tree, its festive lights, its precious ornaments, and marvelling at how its appearance in a cozy room can effect such a change in mentality.

Cookies, Hot Chocolate, and conversation. Soft chairs, cushions, and sofas. A blip in time and space that declared: I am the Holiday Spirit, and while you are here, you are most graciously Mine to comfort.

And for a moment, I did not Worry.