The Tree

At eleven years old, I would say that the imagination is most vivid…..I imagined I was a full-grown woman, a virgin. What if, by the transgression of one person, all death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one person Jesus Christ?  

According to the story, God created Adam and Eve in a garden where they could eat freely from all but one of the trees: The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Entranced by a serpent, which told her that disobeying the divine prohibition would make them like gods, Eve ate fruit from the forbidden tree and gave it to Adam, who also ate it. Their eyes were opened and, realizing that they were naked, they covered themselves with fig leaves. The punishment exacted by God was that they were expelled from the garden and forced to labour until they died, when they returned to the dust from which they had been made.

The story of the Bodhi Tree is the enormous, sacred fig tree in Bodh Gaya under which the Buddha, is said to have attained enlightenment.

In the original story, when President George Washington was six years old he received a hatchet as a gift and damaged his father's cherry tree. When his father discovered what he had done, he became angry and confronted him. Young George bravely said, “I cannot tell a lie…I did cut it with my hatchet.” Washington’s father embraced him and rejoiced that his son’s honesty was worth more than a thousand trees.

The story of the apple falling from a tree inspiring Sir Issac Newton is a scientific legend. Yes, the very tree from which an apple fell and caused Newton to ask the question: 'Why do apples always fall straight down from the tree to the ground?'

Okay so why are trees so important in our life? Why does Christmas need a Christmas tree? Also, why is Christmas full of trees; The Pine Tree, The Partridge and the pear tree, etc. Why does it need a decorated tree? And why is the pine tree the chosen tree of Christmas? Now why is a Partridge in a Pear tree the first gift that they say my true love gave to me in the song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas?” Like why would I want that? Why?

If I was the one true love I would have wanted a garden of roses. What makes a pear tree a better gift than a rose from your one true love?

I would have to say, that there were hardly any pears left in the world during that time. So my story is about a Pear Tree that my one true love planted in my back yard. And it wasn’t supposed to be able to blossom because nothing has ever grown in my backyard. And on the night my one true love never made it back home from the war, as I was crying I looked out my window and saw the pear tree that he planted is full grown with pears falling down to the ground. As if they were his tears from heaven crying down. Telling me, “This tree that I planted is me, you’re one true love.”

My heart is recited, my heart is excited. See my face full of tears. For I will never leave you lonely. For a pear is also a pair of two hearts from heaven that have dropped from the heavens like we once were. Meant to be together no matter what evil throws. So until then, I will forever be this beautiful gift that your one true love gave you on this first day of Christmas. You will sing, ‘On the first day of Christmas my one true love gave to me on the night he died a real partridge and a pear tree.’” And what do you think on the second day my one true love gave to me from heaven? Two turtle doves came flying down to me and next who will believe that on the third day of Christmas he sent me three French hens, two turtle doves all next to my partridge in a pear tree. On the fourth day of Christmas he sent me four calling birds, on the fifth day of Christmas five golden rings, on the sixth day six laying geese, on the seventh day seven swimming swans, on the eighth day eight maids milking, on the ninth day nine ladies dancing, on the tenth day ten leaping lords, on the eleventh day eleven pipers piping, and on the twelfth day twelve drummers drumming; all next to my partridge in a pear tree.

The people of the town stood there to witness what will happen on the thirteenth day. I woke with a child in my arms. And I went outside in the yard to tell an angel named Joseph my husband came down when I was sleeping and told me the Lord leads me to bear his child in virgin form then when I woke I woke with this baby in my arms. And I called him baby Jesus last name Christ for he is the child of God. The first child of God born now; then everyone dropped on their knees and prayed for they witnessed the birth of our savior today! And I wouldn’t have believed it if it didn’t happen to me.

That same night, a starlight night, three wise kings saw a beautiful glistening star shining brightly in the sky over Bethlehem. Believing it to be a sign from God they each packed a gift and road their camels, following the star. All they wanted to do was honor the Child born to be the king of the Jews. And the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Then I told them now look back at the yard and witness the Child’s first wonders and when they turned around they couldn’t believe what they saw. The child’s first wonders turned the pear tree into a pine tree! Everything that was there into toys of the Lord and hung them on a pine tree that was standing in a place of where the pear tree was with all the things that my husband sent me hanging on the branches of the pine tree. There were 12 drummers drumming, eleven pipers piping, ten lords a-leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milking, seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves all from the song, “A Partridge in a Pear Tree” all decorating the tree. The pears in place became colorful bulb ornaments.

Then all of sudden baby Jesus laughed and when he laughed he looked on top of the tree and all of a sudden a flying toy angel on top of the star with wings and halo too appeared in front of us. Formerly the partridge, became an angel; and when I looked closer I saw my husband’s face. The toy angel that was on top of the star was a toy angel version of my husband Joseph who left the toy in his place.

Fairytales do come true. The tree of life represents Jesus Christ; God's only begotten son who gave his life as the gift to humanity.