Choose To Be Present

As a reminder to slow down, I introduce a couple of relatives of mine: Randall Locklear and James Dial. Randall, or Mr. Randall as he was often called, was born in 1820. He was a master at being present. He is talking with James who was born in 1854. James was one of the founders of the Croatan Normal School, which is today, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. 

Longleaf Pines

Randall carefully walked a path over high ground crisscrossing though the swamp for quite a while. The wet swampy ground gradually turned into a pine forest, with tall, straight trees. James looked up and guessed these trees were over 100 feet high, with trunks of 50 inches thick. Randall said, “These are longleaf pines. It takes trees like these 200-400 years to get this size.  They are slow growing. Forests like these are quickly vanishing from this country.” They walked along through ground that was clear of thorns and thickets. Clumps of wiregrass with tall, flat leaves covered the sandy soil. 

Randall bent down and picked up a pine cone, tossing it to James and said, “The longleaf pine and wiregrass work together to provide a natural home to creatures of the forest. My people have worked hard to protect this forest. We regularly set fires to encourage the growth of plants eaten by the animals. The fire also clears the undergrowth, making it possible to move through the trees with ease.” 

Randall continued walking. After a brief silence he said, “It not just the lumber that is desirable. I watched a man burn longleaf logs in a shallow pit and then collected the pitch, dripping out of the logs, in a barrel sunk in the ground.  He extracted tar from the pitch.” 

Tarheals

“I guess people will do anything for money,” Randall laughed. “Heard it said that ‘tarheels’ is what you call folks in this business.I guess they likely get plenty of the goo on the soles of their shoes and feet.”

“The wood itself is dense, rigid and as strong as red oak. It is resistant to decay too. Bury a post in the ground and it won’t rot. A bug don’t bother it either. It has an amber to reddish color like this and never needs painting; the more it rains the slicker, it gets.” Randall nodded and said, “Yup, it’s a mighty valuable tree.”

Choose to be present. Listen carefully as that child or grandchild describes every detail of that 720 piece Lego set he has just built. Listen closely as our spouse tells us about the emotional conversation sibling. 

Being present is really the only place we can be anyway.

“Do not worry… about what you are going to eat or drink or wear.” (Matthew 6:3)

Also, see Don’t Fast-Forward Through Life.

Copyright © 2023 Chuck Locklear