The Evergreen 

Everything in life 

Is a parable

A story

A sign

Pointing toward a greater reality 

A greater truth 

That exists all around us

All within us 

But this truth cannot be explained with words

So a picture book must do

All around, me

All around, you

If we simply listen for the sights

If we simply open our eyes to the sounds

We might just hear and see

Right here

–

Today I saw an infant pine

Sprouting from a crack in the sidewalk 

Many would ignore it 

Walk on by

Step upon its tender branches

That never cry a sound

We keep walking on 

We don’t look down

Because it’s a total, complete 

Waste of our time

–

Today this little pine

Sprouting from the sidewalk

Stopped a 50-year-old man right in his tracks 

This pine is going all out for life

Despite all the odds set against it

Despite the tremendous chances against its survival

Despite its smallness 

Its insignificance 

It simply keeps on keeping on

Without any form of mourning complaint

–

This evergreen stopped me 

Right in my tracks 

Because it started me to wonder

Just what is it that I’m on this planet for?

What could I do to save it?

What could I do 

To save and preserve a life

Despite what everyone else might think

Despite what everyone else doesn’t do

–

Sigh

–

I kept walking 

Another picture of what we often do

–

But that little tree still haunts me

It haunts me every day

I think it’s time to save the tree

To nourish it in every way

–

That’s all I have to say

–

Maybe that’s not all

–

Maybe that tree saved me

Maybe it showed me 

No matter how small

No matter how unknown 

Unseen

Insignificant 

I feel

When I grow where I am planted

Always reaching for the sun

I will one day stop someone right in their tracks

I will be seen as a glorious one

Because that is simply who I am

Simply who you are

The dust of stars

Returning to our family home

5/21/21 kdc