Greetings Dear Reader,
When I was a lad, I loved exploring my Grandfather’s
farm. There was a broad path that led to
the area of the wood where he would fell trees for firewood. He would carefully choose the tree, cut it
down, and leave it lay for a week.
His purpose, as he explained it, was to allow the “critters
time to find a new home.” He would then
take the tractor out after the aforementioned week. His tools were an ax, a chainsaw, and chains. His goal was to get the tree down to manageable
logs that he could drag behind the tractor and process into cordwood later.
Watching him work entertained and taught me but I soon grew
distracted. I was allowed to wander as
long as I stayed on the path. It was,
as I said, a broad path. On a particular
day, I found a smaller track leading in a direction away from my permitted path. I did not know it was a deer trail. I began to walk down it.
I saw the usual signs that deer had passed and that excited
me. After following the path for a bit,
I was excited to tell my Grandfather of the deer sign and suggest the path for
our next hunting season. When I turned
to retrace my steps, the trail did what many do in such circumstances. It disappeared.
Calling out to my Grandfather seemed useless, so I turned to
make my way back on my own. Realizing
that I was not finding the path, I tried to follow the sound of the chainsaw. What I did not consider was that I was in a
small depression and the sound was echoing from the opposite direction off of a
rock outcropping. I grew further from my
goal instead of closer.
When I reached the rocks, I realized that I was lost. I knew the place but not the way back without
my Grandfather to guide me. Climbing on
top of the flat of the rock, I looked to see if I could find my way back. Fear and worry gripped me so firmly that I
was losing my ability to think well.
I waited for the chainsaw noise to stop and followed another
instruction of my Grandfather’s. He told
me often when we would venture out, “If you are in trouble, do not call out for
me. Others could hear it and ignore not because
they are not your Grandfather. Instead,
as loud as you can, shout ‘Help, Help, Help.”
We had practiced it until he was sure my seven-year-old mind grasped the
concept and the method.
From the top of that rock, I did as he had instructed. My small voice carried through the air to his
keen ears. He signaled that he had heard
me by revving the chain saw three times.
His further instruction had been that he would answer when I called for
help with three repeated sounds. Once he
answered I was not to move unless I was in physical danger.
Further, I was to count to fifty slowly and call out
again. He would answer again. I would call, he would rev the chainsaw, and
I would begin to count. This went on
for about half an hour until he found me.
When he appeared out of the wood, I ran to him. He set down the chainsaw and took me in his
strong arms asking if I was hurt.
Once he was certain that I was not, he handed me his canteen
and insisted that I drink as deeply as I could.
We sat here in the grass and rested for a bit. He gently asked how I got so far from the
path. I explained about the deer trail
and offered that it was a path too.
His gentle smile made the loving rebuke that I had not
stayed the true path easy to take. He
knew the deer trail and led me right back to it. There we stopped and he pointed out the
tracks of a wolf and a bobcat. He
explained that there are many dangers to following the wrong path even for good
reasons.
That, Dear Reader, is where we are going to walk for a
bit. No matter how much we wish not to,
we find ourselves on the wrong path at times.
I want to stand at this fork in the way and ponder the things that are
involved in finding the right path.
Please walk with me and share all the thoughts and questions you
wish. I treasure your company.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every
writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a
homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Contacts for Aramis
Thorn:
#aramisthorn
Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
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