The "Blue Spruce" of Sunshine Prairie

Across the Fence #370w (Christmas Extra)

It was a beautiful fall day in the Kingdom of Driftless Beauty. Sunshine Prairie was awash in beauty and splendor from all the trees decked out in their finest fall colors. Butterflies were flitting from flower to flower, drinking in the finest nectar the kingdom had to offer before the flowers began to fade as colder weather arrived.

Princess Sonja sat among the flowers at the base of Three Rock Chimney. It was a great day to soak up some sun and find a little solitude from her job as the fairy princess in the Kingdom of Driftless Beauty. She was always being called upon to help someone with their problems. Sometimes, even a fairy princess needed to get away and enjoy some peace and quiet.

But things were not as peaceful as she had hoped. She sensed some tension and sadness in the air and it seemed to be coming from Christmas Tree Lane. The White Dove who had been resting atop Three Rock Chimney, flew down and landed on Princess Sonja’s shoulder. He whispered in Sonja’s ear. “I feel the sadness too,” she said. “Lets take a stroll over to Christmas Tree Lane and see what we can find.”

Sonja and the White Dove walked through the field of fading wild flowers, stopping occasionally to talk with a flower that greeted them as they passed. The beautiful day had all the flowers in a good mood, but even the flowers sensed that their days were numbered and that sadness was coming from the grove of Christmas trees.

As they entered Christmas Tree Lane, Sonja felt the sadness growing stronger. They followed the lane between the trees in the direction it was coming from. All the trees greeted them as they passed. Sonja had a feeling she already knew the problem. They finally came to the tallest tree in the grove. It was Bruce the Blue Spruce. Sonja greeted Bruce with a smile. “What’s wrong, Bruce, you seem bluer than usual today?”

“I know Sonja, but I can’t help it. They came yesterday, selecting trees that would be used for Christmas this year. I wasn’t selected again. I’m just a tree; I’ll never be a Christmas tree. Last week Jack and Jill came up the hill to find a place to be alone. They sat down where you are, took one look at me, and said, ‘Have you ever seen such an ugly tree.’ I tell you, it almost made my sap run.”

Sonja sat down in the shade next to Bruce, and the White Dove flew up and perched on one of his branches. He was in need of some love and positive reinforcement. Life had not been easy for Bruce. He had suffered many tragedies. In his early years, some cows in a pasture that bordered the field of young Christmas trees, were searching for greener grass on the other side of the fence. Several of them got out and came straight through the grove of young trees. One of the cows stepped on Bruce, breaking several of his limbs and leaving a very noticeable crink in his trunk. Rumor has it, the same cow was seen jumping over the moon that night, the same night that a dish ran away with a spoon. There were some really strange happenings that night, but that’s another story.

Back to that cow that stepped on Bruce. The farmer who owned the orchard considered ripping him out of the ground and planting a new tree in his place, but they must have forgotten about him after all the excitement of the cow jumping over the moon and that dish running off with the spoon. That same night three blind mice ran after the farmer’s wife and she ended up cutting off their tails with a carving knife. Have you ever seen such a sight in your life? After all the excitement, the farmer forgot all about Bruce and never came back that first year to replace him.

He managed to survive all his injuries, but was never the same. The older he became, the more noticeable his crooked trunk became. Several of his limbs never grew back and he ended up with a funny shape. He was not a beautiful tree. The owners even gave up trying to shape him into a Christmas tree, so his odd shape always stood out among the perfectly groomed trees. Each year he was bypassed when people came through selecting Christmas trees. Not only didn’t anyone select him, but several people would make snide remarks about how ugly he was and why didn’t someone just cut that tree down and get rid of it. Poor Bruce, the people didn’t know he could understand them and how much it hurt his feelings. That’s when the other trees began calling him Blue Bruce Spruce, because Bruce was not only a Blue Spruce, but was always feeling blue.

Many years had gone by since the cow stepped on him, and now Bruce was much taller than the other trees, because people looking for Christmas trees had selected most of the friends he had grown up with. A new generation of trees was now growing up around him. Bruce felt very much like an outcast and very much alone. His favorite story had become The Ugly Duckling. He hoped that someday, someone would find beauty when they looked at him.

Princess Sonja knew how much he wanted to be a beautiful Christmas tree. In the Kingdom of Driftless Beauty, he felt like that ugly duckling. She felt sorry for him but didn’t know what she could do to make him feel better. She hoped someone would come along this year and select Bruce for their tree.

As she was trying to find the right words to cheer Bruce up, several birds landed in his branches and started chatting with the White Dove. There was much joyous singing and Sonja listened carefully.

“We know Bruce is unhappy,” one said, “but we hope no one selects him for a Christmas tree again this year. What would we do when the cold winds and snow arrive this winter? Each winter, we’ve found shelter in his branches. He’s the only tree in the grove that has branches strong enough to hold all of us. The heavy snow coats his branches, providing a protective layer. We huddle together in the shelter of his branches and are able to survive the coldest nights. What will we do if Bruce leaves us? How will we survive?”

Sonja smiled. “Did you hear that?” she asked Bruce. “The birds need you. If you aren’t here, what will happen to them?”

“But Sonja, all my friends have left the grove to become Christmas trees in someone’s home. I hear people decorate them with wonderful lights and ornaments. Everyone proclaims how beautiful they are. No one has ever called me beautiful. They just make remarks about what an ugly tree I am. Just once in my life, I want people to say that I’m beautiful too. I bet even Charlie Brown wouldn’t pick me for his Christmas tree!”

Sonja thought for a few moments before answering. “Bruce, those friends of yours had one shining moment. Granted, they were all decked out for a short time and were beautiful. But that kind of beauty is fleeting, it doesn’t last forever. After Christmas, their useful life is done, and most are discarded on the curbs of the homes that chose them. You’re still here. You’re still alive. You’re still useful. The birds need you, and the animals that make their homes on the ground under your protective branches need you. You’re loved by all of them and you’re never alone.”

“I know that, Sonja. I’m glad I can provide shelter and protection for my feathered friends and animals, but just once I’d like to be all decked out in lights and feel beautiful.”

Bruce felt a little better after talking with Princess Sonja, but he still felt ugly, and knew there was nothing he could do to change his appearance. He would just have to try and change his attitude.

The mild weather of fall soon transitioned into the chilly days of early winter. The first snowflakes rode in on the cold winds of December and a blanket of snow soon covered the Kingdom of Driftless Beauty. All thoughts turned to Christmas and people began arriving at Christmas Tree Lane to select their trees. Bruce kept hoping someone would stop and say, “That’s the tree I want this year.” But as usual, everyone passed him by, looking for the perfect tree.

The birds and animals that found shelter from the cold and wind among his branches, were glad that Bruce was still standing tall. Even in the cold weather, Bruce was so blue his sap was running. Princess Sonja couldn’t stand it any longer. She had to do something and she had a plan.

After gathering up all the items she would need, she sent the White Dove ahead to round up as many birds and animals as possible to help with brightening up the life of Blue Bruce Spruce. When Sonja arrived at Christmas Tree Lane everyone was excited and ready to go to work. The birds grabbed strings of lights and began wrapping them around Bruce. A Whitetail Deer family volunteered to pull and lay the extension cords to the nearby farm buildings where the owners of Christmas Tree Lane lived. It took many rolls of cord to reach from Bruce to the buildings, where they managed to plug the cord into an outside outlet. Then they hurried back to let Sonja know they had accomplished their mission.

Sonja and the birds had strung hundreds of lights on Bruce. They had added strands of shiny garland on his braches to help reflect the light. It was starting to get dark by the time they finished. Bruce had never been decked out with anything so fine. He was starting to feel better and his sap even quit running. All the birds and animals surrounded the tree at a distance, as Sonja plugged the strands of lights into the extension cord. Suddenly Bruce lit up like a Christmas tree and his light brightened the fading light. Everyone let out a collective gasp. The light snow that had begun to fall added to the scene. They had never seen a tree this beautiful before.

Cars traveling on Three Rock Chimney Road began to stop and people got out of their cars to admire the beautiful Christmas tree, standing tall, in the middle of Christmas Tree Lane. They all remarked that they had never seen such a beautiful tree. Some of the birds flew to where the cars were parked to see how Bruce looked from there. When they returned they told Bruce, Princess Sonja, and all the assembled birds and animals what the people were saying. Bruce was overflowing with pride and happiness. He had never felt so good and stood up even taller.

Now, every Christmas, Princess Sonja and Bruce’s friends decorate him. People come from all parts of the land to admire the most beautiful Christmas tree in the Kingdom of Driftless Beauty. Bruce is still a Blue Spruce, but no longer feels ugly and blue. He grows a little bigger each year and still provides shelter for his many friends during the entire year. Bruce has learned that beauty is fleeting, but a useful life, providing for others, far outshines the short time each year when everyone thinks he’s beautiful.

Life is very good on Sunshine Prairie in the Kingdom of Driftless Beauty! May your life, wherever you find yourself, also be filled with beauty and life, and may you have a wonderful Christmas.

*