Family, Grief, Life, Writing

i’m the tree and the blanket

Kari

my friend nicole once wrote a good analogy about how we are all the charlie brown tree.

Sometimes You’re The Charlie Brown Christmas Tree, Sometimes You’re Linus’ Blanket; Forty Weeks In

side note- if you’ve never seen a charlie brown christmas, this won’t make sense. but, i highly recommend watching it just for the soundtrack.

we learned 11 days ago that my dad had some potentially scary things inside his body based on images from a bone scan. there is too much to mention here, and I am not a doctor, so i won’t go into too much detail. but in the last 11 days, my dad has been in an ambulance twice, received six blood transfusions, and had countless cat scans.

my mom, dad, mike, and i went all over the chicago and milwaukee area the weekend we got the news to get our minds off of it. even though my dad was perfectly healthy, our instincts told us to do these things. (he was putting up christmas lights in the yard less than a month ago!)

we were at mars cheese castle in wisconsin (iykyk) when we noticed this at the register:

i started crying right there amongst the cheese when i saw it there. my parents love charlie brown, nicole had just written another post about the charlie brown tree, and the news about my dad was still fresh in our minds.

it reminded me of nicole’s statement about how sometimes we are the tree (hanging over, in need of support) and other times we are linus’ blanket (supporting, comforting).

i’ve been both the tree and the blanket for the past 11 days. i think that I can speak for my entire immediate family when i say we all have. we get new information every day, and there has been a lot of it. But there have been some beautiful moments among the scary, and I am documenting everything so that we do not become consumed by darkness.

if you would think good thoughts for my dad this week. he is having a liver and kidney biopsy today. could you also keep my mom in your thoughts? she’s doing amazing, but keep the positive energy flowing her way.

i’m not sure how quickly i’ll be able to respond to your comments, so please know that i appreciate all of you and will try to keep you updated as soon as possible. writing this was extremely therapeutic, so i plan on dedicating more time to writing and reading blogs this week. love you guys. 😘❤️

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47 thoughts on “i’m the tree and the blanket”

  1. I am sending your dad and your mom and you and your whole family so so much love and thoughts of healing and peace and plain ole good luck. I have a glimmer of what you are going through. health stuff takes over, consumes and exhausts. I remember thinking, I am too sick to handle being this sick. And when it is your loved one it is just….ugh. Please take all the time you need. We love you and understand. Cocoon with your family. If you ever need a mental break, there are some lovely short meditations/ reiki things on YouTube that I’ve found helpful. You are so good at finding support, you prob know to look for these things, but just in case. ❤️ Love Nicole’s Charlie Brown Christmas tree Linus blankie story. That movie & music mean a lot to me & my family as well. Hugs.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh, Maddie. I had no idea you were going through this. I’m sending you and your family my love. This has been the hardest two weeks of my life. It doesn’t even feel real. But I’m so glad you’re all here. I’ve been crying while reading your comments, and it’s given me the comfort that I needed. Love you, friend. 😘

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Aww..hang in there Kari. I plan to send positive vibes through the air ❤️‍🩹 Sounds like a huge rough patch 😕..love what the CB Christmas Tree stands for I will have to remember that. BTW if you’re interested my new blog taking followers for now, no pressure though 🤗 https://msnydermemoir.com/

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  6. Of course! Sending you all my prayers and best wishes. We’ve had a tough year of all sorts of medical issues with the parents and it’s not easy to navigate; I love that analogy because I too have felt like both the tree and the blanket these past (weirdly enough 11 days!) that my mother in law has been in and out of the hospital.

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  9. Kari, I love this analogy!….

    ” how sometimes we are the tree (hanging over, in need of support) and other times we are linus’ blanket (supporting, comforting).”

    So true! And you’re so insightful to notice the beautiful moments among the darkness because those moments, yes, are there. In fact, it is during those dark moments the “light” reveals itself to us.

    Yesterday morning while meditating, I sent LOTS of Reiki to you father. I also lit several candles for him.

    Will continue to do so, my friend! And your mom as well!

    (((((((((((((((( X YOU X ))))))))))))))))))))

    Liked by 1 person

  10. My thoughts remain with you and your family during this tough time, Kari.

    On a lighter note, I will say, “i started crying right there amongst the cheese” is probably the most Wisconsin sentence I’ve ever read.

    Liked by 2 people

  12. Hugs to all of you. If you ever need help while you’re in Milwaukee, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I can bring food, provide rides, whatever you may need!

    Liked by 1 person

  14. This is so very tough and scary. Sending you so much love and best wishes. The idea of being the blanket or the tree is a beautiful analogy. I have been the blanket a LOT this past year with 2023 bringing many challenges and grief to my family. That hit home as, late in the year I just lost it. I cried multiple times a day for seemingly no reason. Being the blanket is exhausting so allowed yourself some space. Hugs.

    Liked by 1 person

  15. No need to respond, Kari. Just know that all of you have been constantly on my mind and in my heart and I’ve been sending healing energy and prayers. I apologize for not being more present for you, but I’ve got some heavy stuff going on here right now, too. Both my aunt and uncle are in the hospital (different ones, different reasons) and a Reiki friend is in the ER with burns on the right side of her body. A cousin and her family (out of state) that I’m very close to was involved in a scary incident on Christmas day. So much lately.

    I hope you are somehow getting some rest and maybe even wrapping up (literally) in a blanket and just “being”. I love you.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. So much sadness, my friend. I am sending you my love.

      Yoga every day has been helping me. My mom and I went out to lunch today after the hospital, and it felt so good to be in restaurant together. The little things.❤️

      Liked by 2 people

  18. Oh, my friend. You have had so much to bear and now this. I am so sorry, I am sending all the healing thoughts and prayers to you and your family. I want to wrap you up in my blanket. Sending a big hug across the miles. xoxoxo

    Liked by 1 person

  22. Seeing that tree would have made me cry, too. That single red ornament. So fragile and beautiful. I’m so sorry for these scary times and I just prayed for healing, answers, and strength for you and yours. Thinking of you every day! XO

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Someone else mentioned how fragile life is, and that has been the most important lesson of 2023 for me. How fragile life is.
      Thank you so much for all of your prayers, my friend. I know they help. I hope you start to feel better each day. I’m sending you lots of positive energy and healing.😘❤️

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