Joan Black

As a child of the '60's, growing up in Fort Worth Texas I had my secret world. I was intrigued with the supernatural, the notion of God and angels, and would often times sneak out at night, by myself, to try and connect with these Holy beings.

Sneaking out wasn't easy. I had a twin sister and three brothers to sneak past, and a strict military father and a mother who woke at the snap of a twig. Tip Toe I would go.

I climbed our Chinaberry tree, sat on my favorite branch, and waited for Christ Himself to join me. As I waited I decided that singing to the sky, to the trees, to the moon, was the best way I knew to call the Heavenly spirits.

Some nights I would feel enveloped in what I called the Holy Spirit. These were the profoundly sacred moments of my youth that led to my inspirations as a musician, an artist and a writer. I still tap in to those moments in that precious Chinaberry tree and smile broadly.