Arroe Collins Forest Stories

A lot of American businesses are locked in on cleaning house. People are getting laid off or fired. The laziest thing anyone can say is, "I didn't see it coming." Not true! The signs were there. Now what? Go with the flow. That old job was a rock in your stream getting in your way. You didn't lose anything. They did! Winning is a choice. Don't make the decision to quit on yourself.

Caught in the center of a classic southern tropical storm. Three inches of hard pouring wet and the land has decided to shift. It didn't stop us from entering the forest. To study everything including the leaves of a tree to pine needles and more importantly the animals. Everything living creation was happy except for the human. We tend to always complain about rain.

Greeted by two owls. Which always tickles the inside of my child sized heart. I do know of the darker side of these birds of prey but choose instead to see there's always two sides to every coin.

Thanks for being part of the conversation I am the Poet In The Forest. A children series I penned out in the 1990s. None of it would be possible if it wasn’t for this forest in South Charlotte, NC. I talk about it so much that I thought maybe it’s time you get to meet all that inspires me. Thanks for being part of the conversation

No business is safe. No matter where you work, the new business model is to rid the system of its excess weight. Fire, layoff or cut the hours of the employees required to make business a success. Number crunchers don't see eye to eye with the images now tarnished by the American ego and its addiction to employee mistreatment and a bonus check managers will be rewarded with by accepting bad performances for cost cutting accounting numbers. How does the injured employee get back on their feet. It's in the mirror.

Do you believe in resurrections?  They happen every day.  But are you willing to listen, to participate, to explore and find newer ways to understand your personal journey? This podcast isn’t about what we study and see through the eyes of religion. My Boy Boy Ernie spoke with me every chance we had together.  But this isn’t about resurrecting a spiritual brother of nearly 34 years.  This resurrection is that of a writing instrument. Verbal documentation of what some may call a vision quest.  Trusting the great mysteries of life.  Tools are handed to us to carve out each expectation.  This tool was laid to rest inside a forest floor.  To experience the elements of reality while connecting with a universe that unconditionally shares its stories.  But whose writing it?  Welcome to The Resurrection…

An arborist told me in 2024 that trees do not take note of how much we love them. They do respond to our touch, but the relationship isn't what we think. It challenged me to take even a closer walk with the trees. Three writing instruments have been planted deep into the soil around North Carolina. The goal is to receive the energy and language from everything available to share that lives beneath the soil. So far, its three different forests but I hope to stretch that to 10 or 20. Every place you plant your foot history has been stored. Are you willing to listen?

So often we hear or read stories about the walk up talk rolling hills or mountains, what about the adventures that ensue while struggling to keep your balance going down?

I'm guilty of it. Watching leaves fall from trees and thinking about how short of a life a leaf has. Does it? How often do you look beyond the final dance?

People with motivation and opinions surround us every day!  Your decision making is based on what they feed you.  Oh Oh... have you ever asked yourself the questions then questioned the answers?   The cold hard facts about stepping in a pile of dog crap... you can scrape it off your shoes but the smell never goes away.  Why are you wasting your time asking people for leadership when you've never started with yourself first.  You wear those shoes they don't.  Where the hell are they are two in the morning when your heart and soul can't stand the mental beating anymore?    

Spring has sprung and mother nature is singing on Easter Sunday but are you willing to listen or will you keep walking in the way of assuming you know everything. A forest will never let you escape without a word being dropped in your secret world.

A third writing instrument planted into the forest floors of Carolina. Today, after forty-four days we fall witness to the resurrection of Cane.

Spring is a fantastic time of year to get out and play, then it happens. The pollen is released into the atmosphere poisoning the majority of all people places and things. The beekeeper near the lake is so excited for his little buzzing friends.

Endlessly we exchange.  Even worse are the days when the physical locatiion of an answer is far far away in a Star Wars fantasy.  When you need to know how, there's rarely anybody around for an answer.  But when someone comes to you, you're expected to drop everything and super serve.  Stop giving away your how.  Your how is your how.  They're stealing your art.  

When word arrives that builders and planners want to enter your forest and take away all that's brought you visions of not just inner peace but growth for your community. Facing a brand new wall called mankind.

It seems so stupid. To physically ask yourself questions then question answers. Now do it with a digital device recording every breath you take. The stupid mental earthquake hits. It feels so stupid to ask yourself about the walk and way. Especially when there are billions of others around your decision making. Yeah, and none of them have spent 30 seconds in your shoes. WTF do they know about the real you? Ask yourself the questions and show off that feeling of doing something assumed stupid. It's your greatest decision to know you.

How is it dogs can always find something to tap into on the ground. No matter how bare or overtaken by leaves and fallen limbs, a dog always locates a story.

It's not conceited or overconfident! If you don't believe in yourself, you cannot achieve anything. You'll spend your life trying to and or handing off the important stuff without ever realizing the true journey is in facing your true self in the bathroom mirror. Aint no selfie photo in that picture. That's you! You are the greatest person you will ever meet!

There are no two forests the same, yet you can celebrate their presence the very same as your favorite collection of trees. Just be aware of where nature is presently standing with its own plan and decisions.

Digging deeper into the channels of where a writing instrument was located gives the author a better view of who was holding onto the instrument before the creative process turned into a story. Suddenly this writing instrument has a connection to the early 20's of Ford and then a secret missile making plant. Then, its 103 degrees and the pen is taking a huge hit in the forest floor. All this before sharing an amazing talk with a beneath the soil expert.

Does a copperhead snake squiggle its way into what it calls the greatest day ever only to be murdered by an uncaring human?

Rarely do you hear anyone talking about having hope unless they're hoping for a good seat at Taylor Swifts wedding.  That's called selfish hope.  Take the time to ask the silver haired people about hope and you'll learn things your parents kept from you.  Hope... we lack it in it's truest shape and foundation of outreach.

So many of us base our everything on the seasons pounded into the face of a calendar. That is the furthest from your truth. Seasonal changes are every day! Call them what you want. Reinvent a season. Just know you are going to change today and every day that which follows.

Every forest has a story. So many of them are missing from the making of a new tomorrow. Ernie was and still is a huge part of my love for writing inside this collection of trees. Now that his body has been returned to the soil, what's next?

In radio, we save our airchecks. It's the best way to measure personal growth and outreach. Why don't other businesses do the same for their employees? People everywhere talk out of tune, they 've made bad behavior the new cool and bosses won't hold anyone accountable because it would mean going through the process of hiring again. Aircheck your staff and win!

  Do you believe in resurrections?  They happen every day.  But are you willing to listen, to participate, to explore and find newer ways to understand your personal journey? This podcast isn’t about what we study and see through the eyes of religion. My Boy Boy Ernie spoke with me every chance we had together.  But this isn’t about resurrecting a spiritual brother of nearly 34 years.  This resurrection is that of a writing instrument. Verbal documentation of what some may call a vision quest.  Trusting the great mysteries of life.  Tools are handed to us to carve out each expectation.  This tool was laid to rest inside a forest floor.  To experience the elements of reality while connecting with a universe that unconditionally shares its stories.  But whose writing it?  Welcome to The Resurrection…   Close:    The Resurrection is a true story.  Learn more about this forest and My Boy Boy Ernie on Arroe.net.  His story, journey and new path with a writing instrument are available on the podcast The Lyrics From Ernie’s Forest. Future episodes of this podcast will focus on the transition of materialistic value to that of an authentic storyteller.  The ice storms, a record setting 11 inches of snow, the fear of walking to the grave site to find nothing. The Resurrection.  Faith, hope, forgiveness and discovery. What lessons will the writing instrument bring back to the surface of walking forward?  Let it rise above our tears.  

A walk through the forest, a park or on a city street and you realize you forgot the doggie bags. Do you leave it for others to pick up on their shoes or do you pick it up with your hands?

Spiritually speaking are we somehow connected to turtles? Are they endlessly sharing messages and we've chosen to look a different way?

Those unrecognized moments when Fall is setting in and again this year you woke up not realizing the leaves have fallen from the trees. A major part of the story is now missing from your moments of all things right now.

Tropical Storm Debbie hit my forest with strength. The wind, the rain and a raging water ripping through Mother Earth. And...there stood Timmy the Turtle with his neck stretched and his head held high embracing such a gift from nature. What can we learn from this?

We tend to it very naturally. Buying beauty for our outside world without putting focus on the inner self. There has to be balance with the self coming first.

Yeah... Dot your T and cross your I. It sounds odd. So does life. It all seems odd and somehow people are finding their personal victory. Dot your T and cross your I. Stop being like everyone else.

Do you believe in resurrections?  They happen every day.  But are you willing to listen, to participate, to explore and find newer ways to understand your personal journey? This podcast isn’t about what we study and see through the eyes of religion. My Boy Boy Ernie spoke with me every chance we had together.  But this isn’t about resurrecting a spiritual brother of nearly 34 years.  This resurrection is that of a writing instrument. Verbal documentation of what some may call a vision quest.  Trusting the great mysteries of life.  Tools are handed to us to carve out each expectation.  This tool was laid to rest inside a forest floor.  To experience the elements of reality while connecting with a universe that unconditionally shares its stories.  But whose writing it?  Welcome to The Resurrection…

Every forest has a story. So many of them are missing from the making of a new tomorrow. Ernie was and still is a huge part of my love for writing inside this collection of trees. Now that his body has been returned to the soil, what's next?

New Year's Day is supposed to be a moment of rejuvenation and first-time new beginnings. There's nobody in the forest! What's the message?

I call it postproduction blues. You put in the work. You made sure everything in the recipe was present. You did it all including experiencing the victory. Then you are suddenly alone. Postproduction blues is dangerous. It's when most of our worst decisions are put into play alongside the victory.

In August of 2024 I penned out several questions that dealt with how weather was predicted from the 1800's forward. The eye has always been on science. Entering the picture today is AI technology which still can't be fully trusted.

The way mother nature toys with our imagination.  Starting first with weather.  A Cold December day that looks, feels and smells like snow.  It didn't.  But in less than 30 days ice storms and 11 inches of snow pummeled this collection of trees.  

All these years in this forest and somehow every family had a different name to this lake.  Swan?  Silver?  Now Ivey?  What should we know about this body of water?  

Why do we endlessly allow other people to define who we are as people. It's not just politicians and bosses. It's your family, friends and new gatherings. Oh, you are. Why? Because we said so. Stop being afraid of your shadow and be you.

  Do you believe in resurrections?  They happen every day.  But are you willing to listen, to participate, to explore and find newer ways to understand your personal journey? This podcast isn’t about what we study and see through the eyes of religion. My Boy Boy Ernie spoke with me every chance we had together.  But this isn’t about resurrecting a spiritual brother of nearly 34 years.  This resurrection is that of a writing instrument. Verbal documentation of what some may call a vision quest.  Trusting the great mysteries of life.  Tools are handed to us to carve out each expectation.  This tool was laid to rest inside a forest floor.  To experience the elements of reality while connecting with a universe that unconditionally shares its stories.  But whose writing it?  Welcome to The Resurrection…   Close:    The Resurrection is a true story.  Learn more about this forest and My Boy Boy Ernie on Arroe.net.  His story, journey and new path with a writing instrument are available on the podcast The Lyrics From Ernie’s Forest. Future episodes of this podcast will focus on the transition of materialistic value to that of an authentic storyteller.  The ice storms, a record setting 11 inches of snow, the fear of walking to the grave site to find nothing. The Resurrection.  Faith, hope, forgiveness and discovery. What lessons will the writing instrument bring back to the surface of walking forward?  Let it rise above our tears.      

The typically peace filled daily walk through the forest has put Jazzie and I face to face with true crime. Who killed the opossum? The blood, the blunt hit, the way the body is positioned. We have a true crime scene inside Ernie's forest.

Thanks to social media and the constant talk of a community of know it all's... Who are you in the eyes of those who assume they know you?

How often do we document the stories of all living things? It's a huge part of our everyday! Are we really supposed to drop our hearts into the soil and hope to locate another sooner more than later? Embrace your stories by including all living things in your paragraphs and chapters.

Do you believe in resurrections?  They happen every day.  But are you willing to listen, to participate, to explore and find newer ways to understand your personal journey?This podcast isn’t about what we study and see through the eyes of religion.My Boy Boy Ernie spoke with me every chance we had together.  But this isn’t about resurrecting a spiritual brother of nearly 34 years.  This resurrection is that of a writing instrument.Verbal documentation of what some may call a vision quest.  Trusting the great mysteries of life.  Tools are handed to us to carve out each expectation.  This tool was laid to rest inside a forest floor.  To experience the elements of reality while connecting with a universe that unconditionally shares its stories.  But whose writing it?  Welcome to The Resurrection…The Resurrection is a true story.  Learn more about this forest and My Boy Boy Ernie on Arroe.net.  His story, journey and new path with a writing instrument are available on the podcast The Lyrics From Ernie’s Forest.Future episodes of this podcast will focus on the transition of materialistic value to that of an authentic storyteller.  The ice storms, a record setting 11 inches of snow, the fear of walking to the grave site to find nothing. The Resurrection.  Faith, hope, forgiveness and discovery.What lessons will the writing instrument bring back to the surface of walking forward?  Let it rise above our tears.

Why do people find so much energy to invest in creativity? Is it because the physical act of creativity is a step toward learning how to like ourselves?

I've been a part of this forest for nearly 34 years. Not to my knowledge is there another collection of writing about this very special collection of trees. Handwritten and recorded adventures explored by a writer and his instrument. This week we're sharing the journey of the Chrystal Forest.

Do you believe in resurrections?  They happen every day.  But are you willing to listen, to participate, to explore and find newer ways to understand your personal journey? This podcast isn’t about what we study and see through the eyes of religion. My Boy Boy Ernie spoke with me every chance we had together.  But this isn’t about resurrecting a spiritual brother of nearly 34 years.  This resurrection is that of a writing instrument. Verbal documentation of what some may call a vision quest.  Trusting the great mysteries of life.  Tools are handed to us to carve out each expectation.  This tool was laid to rest inside a forest floor.  To experience the elements of reality while connecting with a universe that unconditionally shares its stories.  But whose writing it?  Welcome to The Resurrection…