The Muse is Loose

Some things can be quite humorous. What I share with you now was really funny to me. Let me explain: I am in a poetry club on the internet. It is called Prose-n-poetry. People from all over the world write and read poetry. I have been a member for a couple of years. In recent months I haven't been very active. When I arrived back home after being gone almost two weeks, a new member, Eric, had written an e-mail to me. I had been selected by him to be listed as a favorite poet. When this happens you are expected to thank the person, then read some of THEIR poetry. You then are kind of expected to make that person a FAVORITE of yours. It is a silly game played in places other than poetry writing. I don't play it very well. My favorite poetry is easy to read stuff. I like a rhyme, but it isn't absolutely necessary. I went to some of Eric's poems. I didn't like them. I didn't place him on my FAVORITES list. Today, A brief note came, telling me I was no longer on Eric's favorites list. How can you be a favorite and then NOT a favorite with the same poems? I laughed. I hadn't played the game so was taken from Eric's favorites list. While I was trying to "recover" from this ego blow. (Just kidding), a phone call came to me from a dear friend at Ouachita College in the fifties. Robert Shaddox went from Seminary to the home mission fields of Montana to serve in challenging and rewarding places. He now lives back at his home town in Harrison, Arkansas. Shaddox called to tell me a woman sang at his church Sunday night. Her song reminded Robert of my singing it at a Vesper Service at Ouachita held by students each weekday evening after evening meal. Robert spoke of how special that night was, and he had never forgotten it, nor the song I sang. On the same day Eric (never heard his voice) removed me as a favorite, Robert Shaddox called to tell me that I was still a favorite to him. I ask you, to which one went the greatest importance to me? You know that answer. For someone to remember you and a song you sang some 57 years ago at a Vesper Service.... that is a friend indeed. Robert has ALWAYS been on my favorites list. I think he might be on God's too.