O Tannen-boom

The tree was perfect. We set it up by the fireplace and I began to decorate. It took me one whole day to get the lights on, each one carefully positioned. Yesterday morning I began putting on the ornaments. I started with the large golden balls towards the inside. I put little glass tidbits under the dove on top. I took out the sweet handpainted glass balls and the ones with sequins from my childhood. I hung the slightly tarnished clear ball with tinsel inside from T's childhood. I put on the seriously tarnished silver ball from my mother's childhood. I smiled at the funny ornaments that have joined the collection over the years - the turnip, the pickle, the garlic, the blue hippopotamus.

Then I started to hang the little "finishers" on the tips of the branches.
And, with a horrible smashing sound, the tree flung itself down and threw all those delicate things across the floor.
I sobbed a little.
Then collected....
the shards of Christmas.