It was past time to take down the Christmas tree, but sitting in the early morning with only the sweet colored lights sparking through the tinsel and glass ornaments is so tranquil. It’s that Balm in Gilead that soothes my soul. The little pine’s season was over. Needles were dropping and I knew I needed to put away those shiny balls and silvery thread for another year.

When I do manage to make myself put Christmas away, the living room seems empty. Extending the season for a little longer, I left the tree in the stand and put it out on the deck under the lights still up on the house. It is good there, for a while. And I know myself well-enough by now to know that those lights will come down sometime in March, but I’ll still have the apple tree out north light up until April.

There is just something I love about Christmas lights.