As a child, we always went and picked out just the right tree from among the many that were leaning up against the fence at the local nursery. It had to have a top branch that stood strong and straight. I remember well the topper for our trees. It was a cardboard angel with wings of gold and around it was the loveliest white halo with stars on it. She sat on this white cloud of what looked like cotton candy to me!! I wanted to hold her and play with her, but my mother wouldn’t let me!! I promised that I wouldn’t hurt it, but nope….can‘t touch. I thought my mother was just about the meanest mother in the world at the time. What would be the harm of me just holding her? She had this hard cardboard tube running up the back of her that would slide over that top branch and I thought, “I could just put my finger in there and she would be like a puppet”.

What I didn’t know was that the white cloud my angel floated on was made of fiberglass. And back then, they said you could easily get some glass slivers from handling it. So, instead of my mother being mean, she was actually protecting me from possible harm, as all good mothers would do. I don’t know what ever happened to that beautiful angel. I’m sure she fell apart over the years or my mother got rid of her for something newer and a little less harmful, but whenever I look at a Christmas tree, I always see her floating on her white cloud and think about my mother’s love for me.

Rose Flynn

Prayer

Dear God, if only we knew then what we know now, life would be so much easier!. We thank You for parents who care for us … protecting us when we believe they are controlling us or being mean to us. They want to shield us from harm just like the angel who appeared to Joseph, instructing him as to what He should do for the safety and welfare of Mary and their infant son, Jesus. Help us to appreciate and learn from our parents. In His name, we pray.  Amen.