A Christmas Tree

Like pretty much every Sunday afternoon, with the exception of three that I can think of, since August 2nd, I walked into the house from a service (or two depending on the day) at Newsong with the intent to make coffee and go study.

Today was no different.

I walked into the house and while I was taking off my shoes, my dad struck up a conversation:

Dad: Hey Haliepie, how was church?
Me, untying my shoes: Good, good.
Dad: What are your plans for the rest of the day?
Me, looking up to make eye contact, but then got distracted, before answering: I have a film final tomorrow that I need to study for and I have to finish my part for my English final.

Then finally I ask a question that had gotten me distracted during the conversation.

Me: What’s what?
Dad: A Christmas tree. You know, since Christmas is in 19 days. We decided to be festive.
Me: Is it real?
Dad: Yeah, why?
Me: I’m allergic to real Christmas trees if it comes in contact with my skin.
Dad: What does that mean?
Me: That I get a nasty rash if pine touches me skin. Honestly, I think it’s the sap more than the pine. I’ll sit for away from it. I love the smell of real Christmas trees. I just can’t touch them.

The look of confusion came across his face — admittedly, he wasn’t around much in my childhood, so I don’t blame him for not knowing. I’m really only allergic to two things:

Cats and real Christmas trees.

One of those things (obviously the former of the two), he’s also semi allergic to — nor is he a pet person anyway — so we never really talked about what we’re allergic to.

While making coffee and staring at this Christmas tree it made me realize some things. Things that if this were a year ago, I wouldn’t have seen.

While there’ll be a good amount of space between me and this tree, it represents everything from this year in a way.

We live in a society that somehow between November 1st and December 31st, we start to think back upon the year that has suddenly just escaped us.

This year I’ve learned a lot about healing — I’ve lost some people that mean the world to me in the last year — even in the smallest of ways. And I’ve watched for a distance other people lose people who mean the world to them.

This year I’ve learned a lot about starting over — this will be my first Christmas that I’m spending in Orange County as a resident, not a visitor. It’s sort of a surreal feeling. Traditions that I’ve done in the past won’t necessarily be what I’m doing this year because I started over and that means new traditions.

This year I’ve learned a lot about my dad — he’s pretty amazing at what his does. While living with him is an adjustment within itself — he’s a good dad.

This year I’ve learned a lot about community — and how much you really need it as you walk through life.

I never knew a Christmas tree that I’m allergic to could actually teach me so much.