Humble Gratitude

It isn't often that one is rendered speechless, to tears, or experiences spontaneous, surprised laughter. Some act, some vision, music or song, painting or speech, literary genius or the perfect joke...something, or some one's actions, brings you to your knees or is so overwhelmingly unexpected that it changes you forever. It just comes to you, this thing, like a wave washing up the sand.

Twice this week it happened to me. This is one of the stories.

I was drawn to Randy J. Cole's blog merely by its name, "Random Stone." Anything having to do with stones automatically has my attention so I clicked to link to it. There, I became totally immersed in Randy's writing, poetry and art. To this day I am entertained there, or enlightened there, or amazed there. His talent for telling stories is remarkable. He draws me in every time.

Over time through comments and visits back and forth we have forged a nice relationship built on respect. I know the "why" of Random Stone and he knows the "why" of Giraffe Head Tree, the names of our blogs. Sometimes we e-mail back and forth depending on the situation.

We were doing that earlier this week. I'd asked for his permission to use one of his poems. We chatted back and forth a little and that was that. Some time passed and out of the blue comes an e-mail from Randy. In his usual humble fashion Randy said something akin to 'here's this thing you can do with it anything you like.' Not those words but that was the sentiment.

Randy J. Cole had written a poem about the Giraffe Head Tree.

I opened the attachment and was met by the poem you read above. Reading it rendered me speechless, but I laughed with glee and tears welled up in my eyes. I must have read it 50 times in a row before I could move. This gift was unexpected and absolutely perfect and oh, so timely. I created the little graphic with Randy's poem - word for word - and placed it atop a close-up of the Giraffe Head Tree's bark for everyone to see.

You know how blustery, gray, rainy days end and the sun burns through the center,melting the clouds away and a rainbow forms? That's how my soul felt as I read his poem, this gift.

Thank you, Randy J. Cole.