1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Creativity is an addiction, unplugged because we will always say 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:07,040 yes to creativity, totally uncut because we all make mistakes. 3 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,439 So let's turn it into a tool. This is arrow unplugged. 4 00:00:10,759 --> 00:00:12,880 I am a poet, one that just happens to write 5 00:00:12,919 --> 00:00:15,960 in a forest. My forest is the Rainbow Forest in 6 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:19,160 South Charlotte, North Carolina. When I enter this forest, or 7 00:00:19,199 --> 00:00:21,719 any other collection of trees, I never know what I'm 8 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:24,519 going to write about, because these aren't my words. These 9 00:00:24,559 --> 00:00:28,239 are the lyrics from Rainbow Forest, chapter number three hundred 10 00:00:28,239 --> 00:00:31,679 and fifty five. February eleventh, twenty twenty three. I met 11 00:00:31,679 --> 00:00:34,280 with a squeaky tree while walking in this new sun. 12 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,759 Like a coward, I jumped. I did. My imagination envisioned 13 00:00:38,759 --> 00:00:42,039 the squeaky tree was preparing to fall. That's always been 14 00:00:42,079 --> 00:00:44,719 a hidden fear of mine. While walking through this forest. 15 00:00:45,079 --> 00:00:46,759 Would I have enough time to get out of the 16 00:00:46,799 --> 00:00:50,200 way of a squeaky tree? So many have warned me 17 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:54,240 about living with so many trees. I found piece yesterday 18 00:00:54,479 --> 00:00:59,000 while strolling through the forest, an eight point buck resting 19 00:00:59,079 --> 00:01:01,600 on the forest floor, maybe twenty five feet away from me. 20 00:01:02,159 --> 00:01:04,319 We just stared at each other, and then I spoke 21 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:07,439 softly in the way of embracing his space. A rack 22 00:01:07,519 --> 00:01:10,879 that large, I too would be sitting on the floor 23 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,959 of the forest. This is why I don't vacuum the 24 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,959 forest floor. I may be afraid of falling trees, but 25 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:19,640 I understand the connections that a tree has with the 26 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,840 rest of nature. I will return to the squeaky tree 27 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,640 with my recording equipment, not to steal the soul from 28 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:31,400 the tree, but to listen to God speak the squeaky tree. 29 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:33,799 How many squeaky things do you have in your everyday life. 30 00:01:33,799 --> 00:01:35,319 You don't have to be living in a forest in 31 00:01:35,359 --> 00:01:38,760 South Charlotte. You could be walking through a brilliantly lit 32 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:43,640 up city and something so different makes its way into 33 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:47,319 your ears, And then you wonder was that meant for me? 34 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:50,719 And if it was, how am I supposed to hold it, 35 00:01:51,439 --> 00:01:56,120 embrace it, and then set it free? The squeaky tree 36 00:01:56,680 --> 00:02:00,280 the things that get your attention where everything else is 37 00:02:00,319 --> 00:02:05,400 confusion and conflict, But yet something so simple is planted 38 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:11,039 inside your day, the squeaky tree. Now look around this area. 39 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,439 What else could be watching you? Not to haunt you, 40 00:02:15,039 --> 00:02:18,680 but to help you understand that there's a constant movement 41 00:02:19,159 --> 00:02:21,759 in your presence of what is right now. But if 42 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:25,520 you're constantly looking into your past or focusing way too 43 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:27,639 much in the future that you have no control over, 44 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:31,719 then anything as simple as a squeaky tree will just 45 00:02:32,039 --> 00:02:34,520 walk right by you, when in fact it should have 46 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:38,360 been something that fell into your heart and gave you calm. 47 00:02:39,319 --> 00:02:42,039 I'm Ril, These are not my words. These are the 48 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:43,719 lyrics from Rainbow Forest.