My tree, that is.

Courtesy of my benevolent, sharing parents who couldn’t bear the thought of me going a year without a tree in my home.

This means, of course, that my mother will now only put up 3,999 trees in her home for the holidays.

Here it is:

Sure, the photo is blurry. Really blurry.

Sure, it’s just lights for now. Although my Mom is making me a host of simple paper stars for the boughs.

Sure, it might seem early to you to have a tree up at all.

But I don’t care.

For me, this wee tree is the promise of several things:

Another year with my family, being thankful for one another, being thankful for the challenges we’ve overcome, and being thankful for the abundance in our lives.

Another year with Gradon in my heart, and — in just over a month — in my home to visit (let’s get that ticket!)

Another year of all the traditions and sounds and tastes and smells that remind me of being small and innocent and blissful. And not-so-small, not-so-innocent and… well, blissful.

And of course…

The wedding of dear friends (yay, Catherine and Eric!)

Why WOULDN’T I want to start the season now?

I can’t think of a single reason.

So bring it on.