This old clearing in the woods was a place my best friends and me laid claim to so long ago. This secret place; our clearing in the woods was ours alone. We were sure to let everyone know.

 

We had lots of fun here makin up games, tellin stories, sharin gossip from round town. We played like we was wizards, shininin knights, or kings. Boy we had imaginations back when we was young. We could be anyone or anything when we were messin around..

 

We are grown up and we parted ways as adults do. life is real busy with workin, raisin kids and such. No one comes back here cept for me cuz Im still round here livin with my wife and kids. I still don’t get to come here so much.

 

As I get older I seem to get bitter bout things gone wrong in my life. I think bout when I was a kid and the fun we had here in our clearing in the woods. It ain’t never comin back those great times we had. I fell in love and got me a wife.

 

I ain’t been happy with my life for a real long time. I love my kids, and my wife even though she nags me whenever she can. I try to live my life like a good and upright man.

 

Even though I try real hard to make ends meet and pay the bills, keep food on the table so my family can eat; it seems like no matter how much I work or how many extra jobs I take, I can’t seem to get a break.

 

I quit prayin long time ago…don’t seem to help me no way, my prayers never get an answer and I don’t have no more faith. I figure if GOD was there hed see how hard I work and at least answer m when I pray.

 

Any way I sometimes come alone to this clearing in the woods and sit here on this stump with my old guitar, it’s a real good place to clear my head and for thinkin bout my life so far.

 

I know I been missin somethin in my life but it wasn’t too clear to me what was missin. The last time I came up here to think bout my life somethin happened to me; can’t explain real good so just listen.

 

 It was like I was dreamin but my eyes was open so I musta been awake, I seen things that day I never seen before; and I heard things too, it kinda scared me and I started to shake.

 

Then I felt a big warm arm round me and all of a sudden my fear went away. I turned round to see who was standin there with the big warm arm round me, but when I looked behind me and I seen no one I didn’t know what to say.

 

Well I decided it was time for me to go so I stood up to start walkin when I heard a voice callin my name, I couldn’t see who was doin the talkin.

 

I answered him back and asked “are you the guy with the big warm arm?” The voice come back and said “yes I am and I didn’t mean you any harm”.

 

I kept lookin for him.. that guy with the big warm arm that was talkin to me. I looked everywhere I could, then the voice asked me what are you looking for? I said Ima lookin for you don’t ya see?

 

He spoke right back and asked me “Do you only believe in things you can see”? I thought for a minute not sure how to answer cuz I can’t see the man that was talkin to me.

I finally said well I guess I woulda said yes til after I was talkin to you today. Are you hidin from me for a reason I asked? Then from outta nowhere there he was!  I stepped clear away.

Standing right in front of me, and his feet never touched the ground. He had bright lights round him and there was white doves round him too, a few flew away to the openin in the sky they didn’t even make no sound.

 

 His face had a beard like mine it was a real kind lookin face he had. You might say for a man he was he was beautiful though I ain’t never seen a man that was. His eyes was shinin bright as I looked in them I also seen he was sad.

 

He had eyes that seemed to be lookin right through me in my soul real deep. I started feelin guilty inside of me and was a hurtin awful in my heart. I asked him if he was causin me all this pain inside, but he didn’t say no words, not even a little peep.    

 

He finally looked down at me with kindness in his eyes, all of a sudden my pain was gone. I felt somethin heavy leave my body; then there was happiness like I never had before in my heart. I felt like strumming my guitar to play a song.

 

“The kindly man said to me can you believe in something you cannot touch”? This time I didn’t have to think about it I said yes I can very much.

 

That meetin was magical and it changed me forever. I finally figured out who I seen that day. I heard him talk and he had the big warm arm. He was sent from heaven to change my heart from strayin away.

 

Cuz for a long time I lost my faith but he took the bad and heavy thing out of me. He was forgivin my sins and remindin me that he was there by my side. Now I am so happy you see, because my faith is back in me. I thank the DEAR LORD every night and day.