john

john lived with his mother elizabeth
and his father zachary in the mountains.

the people in the valley called john's family
the goat people because that is what john did
tended goats.

john's mother and father had passed several years prior
but john had continued to stay in the cabin content
with farming and taking care of the animals.

he had grown a beard. and tended to not wear too many
clothes. the townspeople weren't afraid of him but they
tended to stay away from the hilltop where john lived.

many a young boy had heard strange stories about the
quiet mountain man whom many mothers called a hermit.

now, john was jesus' cousin and they hadn't seen each other
for a few years more like ten john thought

why am i thinking about jesus now for he mused as he took his
sheep's staff and poked the animals and herded them into the
fence area.

john liked living alone
and he didn't complain much.

he did wonder what his purpose was. could he go on like
this indefinitely. no wife, no children to carry his name.

his mother elizabeth used to tell him the lord had made him
for great things.

"you'd never know that said john to sam the largest goat in the
herd." john talked to sam on many a starry night. for in truth
he had no one else to talk to.

sometimes he thought about jesus and when they were kids and
that one time when he was 14 and jesus was 12 the two mothers
mary and elizabeth had gotten together.

john and joseph had sized each other up. noticing how each one
had grown and how their voices were changing.

john was a good twp feet taller than jesus
and jesus was a little taken aback by his cousin's appearance

john how tall are you now?
i am almost six feet said john.

well,who do you take after your father zachary is not that talll?

well, said john impatiently remember joel.

joel, whose joel?

he's your cousin on your grandmother's side.

oh, said jesus.

and was he tall?

tall exclaimed john. he was a giant.

jesus cast a sideways glance at john to see whether john
was making fun of him but no, he seemed quite serious.

you know said john, but before he could finish jesus
interrupted john.

know what said jesus.

well, if you let me finish i'd tell you.

all right, said jesus, sorry.

sometimes i think about you said john. and it's as if you
are right here in the room with me.

well, that's peculiar said jesus because sometimes in my
dreams i am here with you and we are having these serious
discussions about life and where we are going and what is
our purpose for being.

exactly said john.

i've had those dreams too.

well, said jesus maybe they are not dreams.

what do you mean, asked john.

well, i was reading this book the other day on one of those
electronic fig a ma jigs and they were talking about something
called presencing.

what's that asked john.

well, the author was trying to explain it as best he could.

well, what did he say said john more curious than ever.

well, he said that if you can sit still for a full thirty minutes
and just close your eyes and spend this time with god or the source
or whatever you call your inner being and become quiet source will
speak to you.

source will speak to me said john.

yes, said jesus.

well, how does this source do that.

well, the author said source does it in the silence.

what else did he say said john.

well, you sit quietly with your eyes closed.

yes, said john.

and then if a thought comes to you, you listen to your breathing
and then go back to source. you don't concentrate on your breathing.
you just listen to it until the thought is gone.

well, said john that is interesting.

sometimes i do it when i go to sleep at night. that's when i have
those dreams said jesus.

oh, said john.