1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,359 Speaker 1: Creativity is an addiction, unplugged because we will always say 2 00:00:03,439 --> 00:00:07,120 yes to creativity, totally uncut because we all make mistakes. 3 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,400 So let's turn it into a tool. This is arrow unplugged. 4 00:00:10,599 --> 00:00:13,160 I write in a forest. I go into these collections 5 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:15,880 of trees to do nothing but listen. What started at 6 00:00:15,919 --> 00:00:18,879 the Billigram Library in twenty fifteen in Charlotte, North Carolina 7 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:23,399 has evolved into a lifelong commitment and journey. Something is 8 00:00:23,519 --> 00:00:25,640 always moving through each and every one of us. It's 9 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,679 our calling. These aren't my words. These are the lyrics 10 00:00:28,679 --> 00:00:32,159 from Billy's Forest, chapter number three hundred forty four, November 11 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:35,079 twenty six, twenty twenty two, A few days off the 12 00:00:35,119 --> 00:00:38,520 annual passing of seasons. You know, when fall becomes winter, 13 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:42,240 the tree limbs have thinned, allowing more sun to get in. 14 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,280 The hours may be shorter, but the forest floor greets 15 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:48,439 every ray of light with a united front of gratefulness. 16 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,640 I've not seen many large black crows this particular journey. 17 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:54,719 Might it be the bird flu Science has released messages 18 00:00:54,759 --> 00:00:57,679 dealing with migration and how birds from Afar could be 19 00:00:57,759 --> 00:01:01,280 carrying the virus into areas such as this. But it's quiet, 20 00:01:01,439 --> 00:01:04,400 This force that which I've been blessed with. I'm not 21 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:07,920 seeing the over active, bright red cardinals, the honking of 22 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:10,959 the Canadian geese, and long gone are the gentle songs 23 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:14,159 from the morning doves. As I sit here looking into 24 00:01:14,159 --> 00:01:17,200 the blue that shapes a Carolina sky, I do wonder 25 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:21,200 where is the natural music? I guess the global governments 26 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:23,680 won't be locking down the bird world like they did 27 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,680 with COVID. We'll just sit here in a moment, just 28 00:01:26,719 --> 00:01:34,959 to wait and see. When music from birds disappears, Psychologically 29 00:01:35,159 --> 00:01:38,359 you pick up on it. Physically, you don't take note 30 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:42,079 of it until your world stops, and that includes turning 31 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,400 off the flat screen TV or any type of music 32 00:01:44,439 --> 00:01:48,040 that's playing inside your house or car, just stepping out 33 00:01:48,079 --> 00:01:53,040 into nature and listening. And when the natural jazz disappears, 34 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:57,280 your heart takes note. But as a human being, how 35 00:01:57,319 --> 00:02:00,799 can we bring something like that back? You can't. It 36 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:05,959 involves patience, trust, the confidence that something might be going on. 37 00:02:06,599 --> 00:02:08,919 But maybe in your moment of now, there's something in 38 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,639 nature taking place that doesn't involve you, and you weren't 39 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:17,000 invited to that particular meeting. But when the music of 40 00:02:17,039 --> 00:02:21,639 your forest stops and all you hear is maybe a 41 00:02:21,719 --> 00:02:25,400 leaf blowing around on the ground. You begin to wonder, 42 00:02:25,719 --> 00:02:28,360 and you begin to worry, and then you have to 43 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:33,319 say to yourself, I have to be patient. Maybe maybe 44 00:02:34,159 --> 00:02:38,240 I'm making too much noise thinking about it. I'm ryl. 45 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,840 These are not my words. These are the lyrics from 46 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:41,599 Billy's Forest