Seasonal Correspondence: here we collide

Welcome to here we collide.  A project by To Write Love on Her Arms.
This project is for you. We believe in stories; when something involves people, our story, and our lives intertwining with others’ it becomes important. Our stories collide. Something happens. And we believe there is significance in these smallest of moments in all of our lives.
You are breathing. You are alive with so much purpose, so full of potential. The future is wide open and full of beautiful things yet to be discovered. We believe in hope, in finding it amongst the chaos of life. We believe in sharing it with each other, and telling stories in our own unique ways.


This project is about moments. The photos, films, words and music we post are small glimpses of the world captured by strangers. We hope they are a light to your story and a daily reminder of possibility. We hope that you are inspired to capture your own moments as these stories collide with yours.
http://herewecollide.com/about 

  So I have written less and less on this site- and Yesterday I stumbled on a project by To Write Love on Her Arms, a description is listed above... and it brought me back.  About three years ago I sketched out a project of my own: using art (photography, music, art, poetry) to capture community; people at work, living, struggling, overcoming, falling, and rising- everyday people- the good, the bad, and the ugly of little towns and big cities- Capturing it all, seeing what life looks like, what it feels like, what it is.  How our world affects us and what we can do about it-
  This idea, my idea, like so much of our school "work" gets buried away in the notebooks and letters past.  I looked in vain for that notebook tonight.
  Now I am not saying TWLOHA stole my idea, hardly.  I am saying I had a similar idea, a little bit of energy and creativity that made it's way to paper and lit a spark in my heart- a spark that re-lit a lantern.  See the "Daring Correspondence" is just that; a notion, an idea, that in everyday life, in all that is right and wrong in our world's, be they big or small, that you have a chance to relate, to correspond.  That this chance, this choice, this idea corresponds to you, it hits you in the heart and shakes you to the core.
  It could be the light on a group of kids playing in the park, making us feel as if everything is OK; it may be an elderly couple having coffee, allowing us to believe love and devotion to another can outlast the latest divorce statistic; it could be the smile of an old friend, allowing herself to be soaked in forgiveness or even praise, for both are long awaited- It is so normal, yet so daring, so bold.
Because, my friends and family, we have forgotten.
We have forgotten the beauty, the essence, the promise, of every little thing this life has to offer.  we have forgotten to the point that to feel these things, to allow life to stir us and move us, we have to be daring.  Our part is to be Daring, the Correspondence comes from beyond, from somewhere else, way bigger than us, way too beautiful to comprehend.  The Daring Correspondence.  A movement, a feeling, a way of life. 
  As if this little project of mine just began, it is time to put it away.  I don't know for how long, I don't know if this is an ending.  All i know, is that these principles and these Hopes take great courage, yet they are all worth every little effort.  I encourage you to see yourself as part of a story, to believe in what is bigger and BRIGHTER.  I cannot agree more with the encouragement to "capture your own moments as these stories collide with yours". 
  Sometimes people, songs, books, poems, and, experiences, serve us and change our worlds.  Yet we experience all sorts of different stuff and certain things strike as at different times- sometimes for but a season in our life- and like the fading days of summer or the first flowers sprouting forth, we have to move accordingly, lest we be lost in the heat of the day, or frozen in time-

Goodnight and sleep well.


listen: Switchfoot- "restless" *new*
Switchfoot- *new* "restless"

Between the Trees- EmoPopSmilingPurpose- Do rock out!!!

So every now and (actually everyday) a band hits me and is a big part of my day.  Bands (and signers) make music and therefore carry the melodies and messages of beauty and truth to our ears.  Between the Trees is one of those bands.  They are very near and dear to my heart and although they are officially coming to an end as a complete band, their story and their place in mine and others lives has been firmly planted.

  I had the opportunity to see one of my favorite bands over the winter break from college.  This band was anberlin and the concert was during a very confusing and vulnerable time in my life.  Yet it was not anberlin, or even the great shared experience with my best Friend Evan (and his first modern rock concert), but the opening band that really stood out that evening.  This was where i first met Between the Trees. 

(Wes, courtesy of Flicker)

  After buying there album and heading home with Evan, I quickly found the song I had been dying to hear again ever since the performance.  After dropping off Evan and carrying the post concert high (you know what I mean) complete with buzzing ears, I proceeded to rock out to BTT in the car and  fight off sleep with their poppy guitar riffs and deep words.  Once again, Between the Trees and I met at the right time.  I was so stoaked, i decided to swing off the highway to our local Morning Star Christian book and music store (please support this small chain!!!) and say some late night prayers in the parking lot. 
  After hearing about BTT discontinuing their musical pursuits, I didn't feel a bit of remorse.  I know they are awesome guys and will be off to do many cool things, music related or not.  I think the reason I was not so bummed was because of their lasting impact, and their involvement in my favorite charity, To Write Love on Her Arms.  As a matter of fact, two of their first albums songs are dedicated/inspired by Renee Yohe- video:
Between the Trees and Renee Yohe talk--
  The more I go on in this adventure of life and love, I learn about the importance of story.  BTT's first album, "A story and the song" is all about that.  Renee's story was a big part of that album.  But they also played a big part in my story and I'm sure many of the other fans they touched over the last few years.  This was a band that always wanted to leave an impression of Hope and purpose with everything they did, in a genre of music often known for songs of bad break-ups and utter loneliness.  BTT is a band that will forever live on, and the Love and Hope that drives them is going to propel them into beautiful things for a long time to come.  THANK YOU! 
and
GOD BLESS!

song from first album, "The story and the song" "its not the intimacy that brings me closer to you..."
"Red lines and white lights"
song from second album, "Spain" "i know, things aren't quite like what they used to be, yeah..."
"We can try"