He Gave It to Me

“The world will never starve for want of wonders; but only for want of wonder.” 

 

― G.K. Chesterton, "Tremendous Trifles"

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“Never once in my life did I ask God for success or wisdom or power or fame. I asked for wonder, and he gave it to me.” 

― Abraham Joshua Heschel

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Dear Kate,

Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii), or otherwise known as Arbutus, is my favorite tree.  And here, what you see above, is my favorite Arbutus.

I visited her today.

Arbutus is Canada's only native broadleaf evergreen, always in various gnarly positions of undressing, ready for the next exposé about her true nature.  But "born again is born without a skin": her bark cinnamon-red, trunk silk-smooth, sultry and slippery she is to the core--if the core is where you will ever get with her. 

Another mystery in the very middle of my road today.  It took me a while to take this picture (for there wasn't enough light, and I was using a phone): a supposedly dead stump that continues to grow a bark covering.  Why?  The foliage that once gave her life was long lost; so whose life is she channeling?

Not the end of my labyrinth either.  Later I walked into a church, and guess what I walked into?

Exactly what you should expect to find walking into a church.

Yours, Alex