Dear Lady,
You were so very right to have missed the Tree of Life Saturday!
I do not know that I had ever thought about that tree so much as I did in its absence Saturday. I mean, I love the pageant and have always appreciated the technical accomplishment that it is, but I do not know that I have ever remarked the beauty of the entire production as I did this year in the absence of that tree. The very moment that I realized it would not show up I felt a kind of loss in my heart. All at once I recognized that the Tree of Life was the most beautiful part of the entire play and I missed it.
Maybe I'm being a little over dramatic about the entire thing, but as I think about it there's a small sadness I can still feel in trying to recall the image of the tree (a paltry replacement for actually seeing it). The battle scenes are appreciably well choreographed. The boat scene and the ensuing storm are fantastically well brought to life. The destruction sequence is amazing. And, of course, the arrival of the Messiah is always the most reverently impactful moment of the play. I can't help but feel, however, that the Tree of Life is the anchoring scene of beauty in the entire pageant—and it was noticeably absent this time.
You know I found myself, through the rest of the pageant, thinking about how I missed seeing that tree. It carries such power as it is raised from the stage floor and illuminated: the great cascade of water behind it truly creating a sense of visionary experience. It was nice to see the angel provide that glowing fruit to Lehi, but not nearly as inspiring as when he plucks it from an entire tree of beautifully glowing fruit.
Ah well, I suppose one could easily go on forever about what is missed and that would only serve to cause us to lose out on appreciating what is still there. I guess I didn't mean to give the impression that my pageant experience was ruined—far from it. I loved playing frisbee with Nolan before it began. I loved being there with friends. I loved the incessant terror and questions of our little girl. I loved watching the production next to my best friend. And I just loved the overall feeling of dedication, service, and love that always accompanies pageant.
Thank you for going with me each year.
Thank you for enduring mosquitos some years and rain others.
Thank you for being so cute as you fell asleep on the drive home.
Thank you for bringing me out to New York in the first place.
And thank you for missing the Tree of Life with me. I did miss it, but at least I know it will be there next year.
Have a fantastic day Love!
.a boy
