My Happy Place

In 1946 on a 160 acre Iowa farm, ten miles from town, what could entertain a 16 year old? No radio, no TV, no cell phone, no cassette players—cassettes and eight tracks were still years away. As a matter of fact, there was barely electricity—a 32v wind charger hooked up to a bank of huge 2v batteries. We had electric lights, while many neighbors still only had kerosene lamps.

Revisiting the mulberry tree a couple decades later

Most days would have involved some farming activity, leaving no question of free time. Today was rare and different. Did I mention it was a lovely spring day, not too hot, and a gentle breeze blowing. Two mulberry trees graced our backyard. One the conventional small dark purple or black berry. The other tree was different—bearing large, light purplish, very sweet berries. It also afforded convenient, easy-to-climb limbs with a place to sit in a comfortable crotch.

Now, picture this: a beautiful, slightly warm day, a light breeze blowing, and my sitting in the crotch of a mulberry tree surrounded by large, sweet, easily reached mulberries—indeed a happy place. Indeed a worthy activity for an idle teen.

The “happy place” many years later became a frequent sanctuary where I was to “see” and understand that Jesus was sitting in the tree with me, equally enjoying the moment. Offering only affirmation and companionship to an isolated teen.