The Broken Christmas Tree - Book

September 24, 2014 – Letter To Danny

September 25, 2014 by DWRigsby

Danny,

I almost forgot to write this week. I’ve been very busy with all my other duties and responsibilities. Oh how I miss being young, not a care, and running around town playing games. It was a great time as I’m sure you know. Playing hide and seek, kick the can, picking up a game at the baseball field, or hiking through the woods. It still might be warm enough to camp there even with the cooler nights, which I loved to do but never did enough growing up.

It’s getting that time of year when it’s best to go camping down here in Florida. The summer is not like it is up in Ohio, and the fall is still warm enough to pitch a tent. A nice camp fire with a few burnt marshmallows doesn’t sound all too bad either.

You say you like to camp? That you even bought your first tent with your own money? What a great thing it is to be able to work for something you want and when you get it there’s that sense of accomplishment.

I have no worries about you when you get older. You describe yourself as resourceful, self reliant at times and clever. We need people like you, and your friend. The way you describe your friend he sounds much older than you, but I know you said he’s only a year older. Well, some people are born older.

Keep writing.

Sincerely,

D.W. Rigsby

Letter to Danny from The Broken Christmas Tree

Image Credit: Cincinnati – Hapersfield Covered Bridge HDR by Corey Balazowich

September 17, 2014 – Letter to Danny

September 17, 2014 by DWRigsby

Danny,

My progress is slow with my stringed instrument, but I’m enjoying the process. I like to play the different chords, to feel the buzz of the strings, and hear the tones resonate as I pluck away at the strings. It’s not an easy task. Learning the roll patterns took some tries but after several weeks I got the basic ones down. I still miss here and there but I’m getting the rhythm. Timing is another matter. I was looking into a metronome – it’s a way to keep your timing, making sure you hit a note each time it ticks. It’s job is to discipline your performance and without it I’m not sure how anyone could truly become a master of their instrument. Oh, I’m sure someone with the gift of music has done it, but I don’t possess this gift. I must work hard at it, I must chug along like the little choo-choo train that thinks it can.

You say you draw. We’ll that is an art in itself. A great one for self expression. I am glad you have some spark of artistry in your blood. We are like kindred spirits I think.

Now tell me that Sam is no longer around is he? It is terrible what happened. I still think about it. I’m glad you handled it well. It never changes. No matter where you go there is always someone out to make your life miserable.

As for those shadowlings you should still be careful. Don’t try and seek them out. I know what you told me that you can’t help it. I am not you so try and use your best judgement.

Sincerely,

D.W. Rigsby

Letter to Danny from The Broken Christmas Tree

Image Credit: Cincinnati – Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum “Your Time Has Come” by David Ohmer

September 10, 2014 – Letter to Danny

September 10, 2014 by DWRigsby

Danny,

What you said in your last letter explains a lot to me. My only guidance to you is be on your guard, keep your wit about and make sure never to tell anyone what you told me unless you think they can keep it a secret.

People often act strange when they find out something different about another person. It’s human nature I suppose. It’s been ingrained into us since the dawn of time but we learn, some of us. You’re friend Cluster sounds like a true friend. When you get older like me you’ll look back and see the wondrous thing of friendship and what it really means. We don’t often think of it until things have sort of slowed down and we have time to reflect. It’s okay, not to worry as you are young and I”m sure you probably already see some of what I mean.

Oh, I wanted to tell you that I’ve decided to pick up an instrument and learn to play music. I’m rather horrid at the moment but that will soon change as I practice more and more. My advice to you is try and learn music at a young age, it will be something you’ll enjoy for a very long time and one you can share with others. I’m excited even at my current age to learn and soon I’ll be able to share it too with my friends and family.

I look forward to hearing more from you. Please keep writing and don’t worry about the contraption thingy, it still works and hasn’t smoked for nearly a week. A good sign. I think that it’s on the road to recovery.

Sincerely,

DW Rigsby

Letter to Danny from The Broken Christmas Tree

Image Credit: Ohio – Amish country by Kristen Klein

September 3, 2014 – Letter to Danny

September 3, 2014 by DWRigsby

Danny,

New Weston sounds like a wonderful place. I wish I lived there myself from the way you describe it. It’s like so many of those small towns you see on television. Some of us stuck in the larger cities long to be in a small place, run around in the woods and enjoy what nature has to offer.

I bet the fall is wonderful there with all those hardwood trees with their leaves turning brown, gold, copper, yellow and ash. I bet the nights are starting to cool down now. It must be heaven. It’s still very hot and humid where I live. It will be a while longer before the cool air reaches us.

Oh, yes I did some research on those shadow things. It seems sometimes this happens to people after a traumatic event. Did something bad happen to you?

Sincerely,

DW Rigsby

Letter to Danny from The Broken Christmas Tree

Image Credit: Cincinnati – Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum “Morning Light & Mist” by David Ohmer

Hidden Treasure

August 31, 2014 by DWRigsby

The Broken Christmas Tree is a great story of friendship. Danny and Cluster are two boys in the story who are no doubt the best of friends. And they must face things of great peril together. Friends are a corner stone in our lives and what a friend offers is being there when it matters most.

I have a friend who’s been in my life for the past 39 years, getting close to 40 years. We met each other through our moms. My mom got a knock on the door one day and there was a lady standing there. She looked kind of ticked off, as my mom puts it. So my mom was ready to deal with whatever trouble her sons might have made for her all at the ages of three and five. Boys are great, aren’t they? I got two myself.

My mom answers the door fearing the worst but finds out the lady is only there to borrow sugar. I’m not completely certain that is how it went but it’s close enough.

The point is I made a friend and he’s been my friend ever since. He’s the one guy I go to for everything, I can tell him anything and he’s still my friend. When I need him, he’s there for me. I tell you friends are a hidden treasure. If you have one, I’m not suggesting you bury them rather see them for what they bring into your life.

The Broken Christmas Tree highlights this point of how precious friendship really is to us. The friendship in your life most likely came to you freely, so therefore it is priceless. Be sure to let your friend know today how much they mean to you. It’s a challenge, pick up the phone, call them and don’t delay. They are probably thinking of you right now.

This story I wrote also highlights a friendship I had as a young boy growing up in the hills of Ohio. When my friend, Cluster, passed away at 18 years of age it was a huge loss in my life. Our friendship impacted me so much that is still affects me even to this day. Our friendship lives on in this story, even though The Broken Christmas Tree is fictionalized it’s there in the pages.

Make sure to stay in touch with your friends. Don’t let too much time go by with your busy life. You never know when it’s their time to move on and you will need to live on.

by D.W. Rigsby

Image Credit: Look At That Booty by Theodore Scott

August 27th 2014 – Letter to Danny

August 28, 2014 by DWRigsby

Danny,

I hope all is well with you. Those things you keep telling me about, shadowlings, seem quite scary. I unfortunately don’t know what they mean. You have to figure that out on your own.

As for your mom, I know here spirits are down. Try to reassure her if you can. No reason to have everyone in a mood altogether. It really doesn’t make for a fun evening.

This contraption thing seems to be working with it sending you letters back to 1983. Though it does tend to smoke a little, bad for its health. I fear its lifespan maybe cut short.

Write back and tell me what you did in the woods today.

Sincerely,

DW Rigsby

Letter to Danny from The Broken Christmas Tree

Image Credit: Forest Wander by www.ForestWander.com

August 20th 2014 – Letter To Danny

August 20, 2014 by DWRigsby

Hi Danny,

Sorry about saying I created you, maybe we can agree that I discovered you? How’s that? You’re right, you are more amazing then anything I could create.

Maybe this contraption thing isn’t working as well as I thought, sending messages back to you from 2014 is a new thing really. I believe it’s August 1983 your time. Can you confirm for me when you get this message?

What are these things you keep seeing? You call them shadowlings? Interesting. You should be careful with them, who knows what they mean.

Make sure you keep writing me, I like to hear about the fun you and your friend Cluster are having down in the creeks. You say he’s a big story teller, well I hope to hear one of his stories myself soon. If you get a chance pass one onto me.

Sincerely,

DW Rigsby

Letter to Danny from The Broken Christmas Tree

Image Credit: Wolf Creek by THX0477

The Broken Christmas Tree – Be Like Water

August 13, 2014 by DWRigsby

Danny,

I created you from my memories, from my inspired thoughts, feelings and emotions. You exist now in a world that is thrawt with dangers. You must be on the look out, be alert and be ready. I know you didn’t ask for this, for what is happening in your life. Sometimes we just seem to find ourselves where we least expect it. Don’t loose heart, this is your time and you must do everything in your power to pull through.

Life is going to put up roadblocks, your life will never be the same Danny. But don’t loose hope, faith or love. Especially love. This is the one thing I ask you not to turn your back on. For once you loose heart, love will soon follow and that is a tragedy.

It is up to you, Danny. It’s up to you how things turn out. You must face what you fear the most, you must stand up and fight. No one can do it for you, Danny. But there is one that will go through all of it with you, he will be your rock.

I’ll try and write again but just be aware that things are changing and you must adapt to this change, as Bruce Lee would say “be like water my friend.”

Sincerely,

DW Rigsby

Image Credit: North Branch River in Keene New Hampshire by Wardwell, Anne, Keene NH