The Forgotten Ornament

The Forgotten Ornament

The very idea of being an ornament means to be noticed.

That is what made it especially hurtful to be forgotten, there on the hedge, while all of her friends were packed up with care in the cozy little box and put away for the season.

But so it was for her that year.

She had thought herself pretty and proud, one to be admired.

A shiny, sparkling, Christmas ornament, left all alone.

She so enjoyed each year, for so many years, the exciting day when she and her friends were met with that familiar bright light that meant they were being  brought out of storage and were about to be displayed in the visual symphony that was her owner’s annual Christmas display.                                     She was only one of many, but she was a part of something beautiful.  As neighbors passed by, she beamed as they expressed their “oohs” and “ahhs”, and she knew, in part, it was because of her. 

She braved the cold nights with her friends well through the New Year, basking in the warmth of the shining Christmas lights next to her, and she was glad to reflect their beauty off of her own shiny globe.

Then finally one sunny weekend in January, as usual, the family came to gather them up into their familiar, cozy boxes with warm, soft tissue to protect them from the dread horror and finality of breakage.

She had seen it once…one of her closest friends, a pretty silver ball, reflecting like a mirror, received the attention of an errant feline, who pawed at her, and she dropped…and was reduced to broken pieces.  The cat was scolded, to be sure, but her friend was unceremoniously swept up and thrown in the trash.  It was a dark, grim memory of an otherwise joyous season.

For the most part, though, the family ensured that each was treated with care and reverence as the ornaments were gathered for their long rest until next year sometime after Halloween, sometimes as late as after Thanksgiving.  But the ritual was as sure as the sun rising, and for some of them, it had been going on for decades.

So imagine her distress when, as the ornaments were collected off the many branches of trees and bushes in the front yard, that the hand passed her by, and did not return.  How could she, so lovely in her golden splendor, be overlooked?

And yet she was.

The dark, cold night was never so bitter without the warmth and beauty of her friends around her.  She wept at her predicament, feeling oh so sorry for herself.  It was so lonely and frightening.

Owls hooted.  Dogs barked.  Cars raced by. The baleful moon glared down.

But then, she noticed how that very moon reflected off of her golden skin, much like her Christmas Light cousins did only the night before.   The moon was a fascinating beauty, not something to fear.  She beamed back at the silvery orb, until it tracked across the sky and out of sight, but here remained even brighter the little points of light known as stars, which twinkled musically to keep her company.  Before she could be saddened by their fading she saw the glory of the rising sun, and was enraptured by yet a new form of beauty.  Before, she was so taken by her own limited role in life on the bush with her friends; she did not notice the lights of the heavens which were there all along.

As the days and weeks past, she saw so many things.  Wind, which shook her branch and gave her a rush of excitement, soft rain, loud thunder and bright flashes of lightning, thrilled her.

The beauty of Easter eggs, some hidden so near, she wondered if a child might mistake her for one and she could end up reunited with her friends after all! 

But still, she went unnoticed.

The days and nights grew steadily warmer; at times, the intensity of the storms was a bit much, but they always gave way to sunny skies eventually. 

In early July, there was laughter, food, and children at play.   But the most wonderful sight was when darkness brought not the usual stars, but the breathtaking fireworks that exploded into bright, fiery, multicolored blooms that put the Christmas display that she was a part of to shame.  But the bigger shame was how short lived this new display was, however indelibly etched in her mind. 

Before she knew it, the air became less sultry and crisper, and she saw pumpkins with lit up faces, and children racing past her wearing strange outfits, posing as all manner of creature, hero, or Disney princesses.

As the air turned more brisk, the leaves around her and on the neighboring trees changed from their many hues of green, to bright colors such as red, yellow, and orange.  Yet the faithful spruce never changed.   He was the centerpiece of the Christmas Display, and it was good to rely on his stability through all of these changes.

Soon, the familiar snow returned, kissing her cheeks in joyful greeting.

She smiled.  What was once her darkest, dread nightmare, she realized, was a fantastic adventure, a wonderful experience.  She would have missed it all, if she would have been noticed, and placed in her little cubby hole in the box, wrapped in tissue paper. 

As she reflected on all of her experiences, she heard familiar, tinkling voices.

It was her dear friends, back for another Christmas!  They were so excited to be reunited!

She had so much to tell them…

When unexpected changes come don’t let your heart despair

Don’t worry when your plans fall through and life seems so unfair

Just know that every door that shuts another opens too

It may be that the other door holds something good for you

If nothing changes in our lives it’s safe but also dull

My hope for you is every test will make your life more full

May your dreams be beautiful, but also more than dreams

Make them your reality, life’s less scary than it seems