Against the Grain

Every other Saturday I have had the opportunity to trail run with a neat group of people.  The Narrow Path Runners.   We meet before the run and talk about the many things we can learn about God through nature.  It often times is not limited to God, but life, spirituality, unity, cooperation, humanity and so many other things.  Nothing in nature is stagnant, it's either in a process of living or dying.  This past Saturday I couldn't make it to the run, but wanted to share some thoughts on things I've learned through wood.  

Discarded pallets.  Old, splintered, left for dead.  Most people see a pile of scrap.  I see awesome.  I see potential.  I am sitting on a chair made from an old pallet and my computer is on a table made from an old pallet.  It's amazing that in just a few hours one can turn junk into something that many people would call beautiful.  And it's functional too.  New life from old. I won't connect the dots.  I'm certain you all can do that yourselves.  

There are many different types of wood on pallets.  Different grain as well.  But it's all wood.  Funny thing.  As different as all the types and grain of wood there is, when it's all put together it's beautiful.  It was beautiful before, but sometimes it takes a little refinement for others to see it.  Shame on us for not seeing the beauty before the refinement.  

What if the sapwood said to the wild grain, "We  can't be on the same table, we aren't alike".  Or if the curly said to the knot "You don't belong here, you have an imperfection".  That's just silly, wood can't talk.  But seriously, some of the most beautiful furniture is made of all different types of wood.  Some wood even has worm holes in it.  And people pay extra for that. 

We are all human.  That is our common denominator. What if we all stopped looking past the surface.  Looked for our similarities, how we can work together and get along.  Not just get along, but thrive. Perhaps than the surface will look that much more beautiful.  We may even start seeing smiling faces again.  

For those that were interested in buying this table....It's going to take a lot of convincing.  I'm falling in love with it.