Let's be a Forest

A poor potted plant, or more properly a would be tree, customarily standing near to seven feet in a peaceful slumber, was lying face down in the middle of the sidewalk. How did I know it was “face” down? The limits of language prohibit me from divulging this in any great detail, but if you were there, you would concur that this would be tree was sucking on cement; its many limbs at its side lying motionless admitting defeat to the little more than moderate wind that had left it conquered upon the concrete.

When the wind came to wake this potted tree from its slumber, I was in the expected position, slouched at my lower waste, trying to get five hours out of a cup of coffee while attempting to keep my head above water in the deluge of reading that piles newly every week. The tree lay with a quarter of its soil strewn at its side, and without a thought, I picked myself from my slouch and proceeded to scrape the spilled soil back into its base and return the tree to it rightful vertical stature.

No more than two minutes later, another mighty gust came and left the tree inn the same prone position as before. My eagerness to help gave way to defeat immediately. “This tree was meant to be face down in the cement,” I thought. But, in the same instant another man was walking by and scraped the spilled soil again back into its base and the tree again regained its dignity.

And again, a third time, a seemingly innocuous wind left the tree again face down as if the poor plant had given up any resistance in the matter. But like clockwork a third man came and saved the tree from the pavement. He scraped the spilled soil back into its base and helped the tree upright.

When I left the tree, it remained rigidly positioned and rightfully erect.

The next day I found myself in the same slouched position, in the same seat, with a new cup of coffee and a new book. Happily, the tree managed to remain standing throughout my visit. I had a fellow reader with me in the shaded café-front sitting with his back to me at a table across the doorway. He, situated next to the would-be tree, read with two ipod earbuds lodged firmly in his inner ears so as to avoid any distraction. I am not exactly sure what he was reading, but I am sure that it must have been extremely important.

Another man came up and asked for some change to get a sandwich, and without removing his earbuds or letting the other man finish his petition, my café-companion (of sorts) interjected, “I’m sorry, I don’t have any cash on me.” (of course the café also does not take credit cards, so good thing he brought exact change for his drink or he might have had to borrow some from someone else). Unfazed, the petitioning man walked on for help elsewhere…

He didn’t ask me for anything, but I didn’t go and offer either.

“Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality” (2 Cor 8:13-14).

* * * * * *

This week I was trying to write a song that rivaled my last (The Flood). I just liked it a lot, but this proved counterproductive. So I just started strumming away and was actually pretty pleased by what came out. I laid down a rough track last night and planned to do a better recording this morning; however, I fumbled through my vocals enough this morning that I decided to just put up the rough track. It could be a lot better, but I kind of just wanted to post it (and stop driving my upstairs neighbor nuts by singing at the top of my lungs). Let me know what you think!

Narrative Coherence


Download it: Here

[EDIT: Added some harmonies 7:00 PM Friday, but it's still pretty rough... pretty pretty rough]

Much Peace,
Tim