A Friendly Christmas Tree

                                       *

                                                                        This
                                                                       Xmas,
                                                                      I would
                                                                    like to put
                                                                up a tree in my 
                                                             heart, and instead
                                                           of hanging presents,
                                                         I would like to put the
                                                        names of all my friends.
                                                    Close friends and not so close
                                                 friends. The old friends, the new 
                                              friends. Those that I see every day
                                         and the ones that I rarely see. The ones
                                       that I always remember and the ones that
                                    I sometimes forget. The ones that are always
                                there and the ones that seldom are. The friends of
                               difficult times and the ones of happy times. Friends 
                         who, without meaning to, I have hurt, or without meaning
                     to, have hurt me. Those that I know well and those I only know
                   by name. Those that owe me little and those that I owe so much. 
               My humble friends and my important friends. The names of all those
              that have passed through my life no matter how fleetingly. A tree with 
                                                  very deep roots and very long
                                                    and strong branches so that
                                                     their names may never be
                                                     plucked from my heart. So
                                                       that new names from all 
                               over may join the existing ones. A tree with a very
                                pleasant shade so that our friendship may take a
                                moment of rest from the battles of life. "May the
                                  happy moments of Christmas brighten every
                                    day of 2019". These are my sincere wishes.