Comfort foods for the soul (19): Green grass and tall trees so calming

Oh, so calming!

Never thought the image of green grass and tall trees could bring such comfort.

No, I’m not in Scotland.

Nor Switzerland

Not Maine either

Just touched by a poet’s ability with words and the thoughts flow with it.

Recent months have been particularly sensitive to historical events that I’ve been a witness of.

Or more precisely, those events have directly or indirectly affected my life.

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911

612

721

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Anger bubbles every time these are recalled.

Time never discoloured it.

Particularly when I learned the lives that have been torn apart and the even terminated.

Anger grows more intense soon as I discover the main perpetrators are still wining and dining at victims’ expense!

I tend to lift up my eyes towards heavens and ask, admittedly with a touch of complaint, “Are you there?”

There and then the poet comes to my rescue.

Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.

For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither.

(Ps. 37:1-2, New Living Translation)

Oh, those who are still drawing over HK$3-400 thousands per month are still wielding power.

Still being put up on the pedestal.

They seem to be in an inviolably safe position.

My blood pressure rams up.

But I am reminded, they are like grass and flowers, will definitely one day, fade and wither.

Blood pressure eases.

Without even breathing into a paper bag.

They can’t stay that way long.

There’s expiration date.

And who has those dates in the palm?

Not they.

Not us either.

That’s the reason why we shouldn’t be too boiling red.

The poet will continue to bring up another botanical imagery that’s so unshakingly true.

I have seen wicked and ruthless people flourishing like a tree in its native soil.

But when I looked again, they were gone! Though I searched for them, I could not find them!

(Ps. 37:35-36, New Living Translation)

Yes, there are times, and that could be plenty and long, these perpetrators are on top.

But there will come a time, when they are suddenly not.

Gone.

Trouble is we don’t know when that time is.

That’s precisely why we can experience comfort.

Yes, we know there will come the time.

Though don’t know when it is.

Neither do we control it.

Someone else will.

As soon as we follow the poet’s guidance in words, and get at the reality behind imageries, we may sense who actually is there calling the shot.

And we learn to trust in his benevolence and rightness.

Then and only then, we can sit back, throw away the hypertension medication, and feel the comfort to our souls.

Words can take you to truth.

And comfort.