September 16, 2001

What now, we ask? What does the future hold?
It is in each person’s hands; it is our world to mold.
Where do we begin? We don’t know where to start.
Maybe look for God, He’s in the center of our heart.

Dear Friends,

     The horror of these days seems almost unbearable at times. Our hearts truly feel sorrow for all. It was the darkest day I ever remember. I know each and everyone of us pray for the healing of victims, families, friends, workers, heroes, survivors, and on and on and on. Our brains are overwhelmed with images, information, emotions, and stress. I hope we will all find a quiet place in time to relax and reflect upon the future of our world. 

     As I sit here in the middle of the woods and look at the beauty that surrounds me, the sunshine through the trees, somehow it reminds me that there is hope for our planet. Without hope, there is no hope. And without sunshine, there is only darkness. The question that has been on my mind is, “Where do we go from here?” I feel that we are truly at a crossroads at which we can make this a better world or just remain in fear. It is a time when we can come together as people, as families, as ethnic groups, as countries, as nations, and as a world. The American Indian had so very much to teach us, but instead the white man did not listen. The great message was one word, UNITY! Unity of the two-leggeds, the animal kingdom, and of Gaia (Mother earth). What we did to the American Indian is surely no better than what terrorists did to us. The American bald eagle, the bird of our nation, represented to the Indian “the one with spiritual wisdom”. I hope for spiritual wisdom to be with our decision-makers. But more than that, I hope for spiritual wisdom of every man to direct them in love. As I came home last evening, I was thinking of a poetry line in my head, and it was, “for we are all just separate pieces of the One In our Creators eyes” As I slowed for a stoplight a bald eagle flew right in front of me about 20 feet up. I took that to be a sign that it must be a good line or a good message.

Day Two

     It is Sunday afternoon, and again I come to the middle of the woods, which is, I guess, my new writing spot. You would laugh if you saw me. I sit in a folding chair, down in a bottom where there is a nice flat area amongst a variety of lovely trees. But the ground area is almost completely filled with poison ivy! Very fortunate I do not catch poison ivy! So here I sit, blue jeans, took off my shirt, pen, notebook, Pepsi®, ice, thermos, candle of the world, crystal, Indian pipe, and my addiction—Captain Black pipe tobacco!
I learned so much in the woods yesterday. First I saw a big spider web and I thought how the spider was Bin Laden, and how could one fully destroy his web? The spider makes repairs and rebuilds. Later I chuckled at the thought of the poison ivy, which obviously gets under people’s skin and itches and irritates them. Next I pondered what I call “monkey vines” which are numerous here. How twisted they looked as they went upward to treetops, eventually to choke them out. However when the tree dies, it will allow re-growth of many new saplings nearby. There is a very deep message in there. I shall think on it. Two or three crows cawed loudly in the distance. I have read that crows represent the “holder of spiritual knowledge”. But to me, I felt like they were giving a warning. Truly this is a critical point in our history. I heard a woodpecker pecking away, not too far from where I sat. It instantly occurred to me of pecking and pecking away until there is a big hole that he persistently pursues. Thank God for the tree frogs for their serenade that brings my troubled mind back down to earth. Getting in nature grounds us to reflect upon what is real and important in our lives. To leave our weary, muddled thoughts maybe even find out who we really are. As I peer at the big oak tree, I see it standing proud and tall. A strong network of loving unity. 

     Lastly, I’d like to tell you about my inspiration for the poem; “Tears Fell Down”. Soon after seeing the image on TV that showed from ground level, a trade tower starting to pancake down, I had am image in my mind of tears raining down at that moment. Millions of tears. And I wished that I could paint because that would be an awesome image to capture. I did my best to capture it in words. 
In peace, unity, and truth, 

Ficklin “Fick” Bryant
 

PS Thought of the other line for the verse—
If we think that we are all separate or better
To ourselves, we’re telling lies.
For we are all just separate pieces of the One
In our Creator’s eyes.

Dear God,

     I pray for every human on earth who is against terrorism and fear, that they may unify by communicating what is good and right for our planet—not governments—just people! I also pray that no more innocent people of the world shall die. Make the world an oak tree of people, with beautiful leaves, stems and branches that lead to the same trunk and downward to strong roots that are nourished by what is natural and good. 
In the spirit of unity, Amen.

© 2001 Ficklin “Fick” Bryant All Rights Reserved