The direction trees fall
 Can clearly be seen—
 They fall to the side
  That they listfully lean.

You will fall too,
 Just like the trees,
 To the master you serve
  And willfully please.

So have you considered
 The tilt of your soul?
 It tells telling truths
  Of your eternal goal.

For on small, simple acts
 Fate’s hinges will turn;
 When will we learn,
  Oh, when will we learn—

That what, day by day,
 We truly desire
 Will tip us toward heaven
  Or hell’s damning fire.

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Poplar trees.  You know the ones, they grow narrow and tall.  They are a relatively short-lived, fast growing tree.  They are prone to diseases and pest problems.  They send up suckers all over the lawn.  They are constantly dropping limbs.  They always seem half dead.  They were created by the devil himself—along with thistles and puncture weeds—to afflict and torment man.  And I have several growing on the side of my house—planted by a previous owner mind you, but now my problem.  Great.

One of these trees was more dead than some of the others.  One of its big main branches was growing nearly straight up but was leaning ever so slightly towards the house.  I knew I needed to take care of it; but it was in a spot that was difficult to get to, and I never got around to it.  Then came the storm.  With the help of the wind, gravity finally took its toll on the dead limb and down in came.  I know what you are thinking, but, thankfully, it didn’t happen.  The branch just missed the house; but in its sweeping decent, it hit the power line between the house and the barn, severing it.  Should I have been surprised?  No.  Even though the limb had grown nearly vertical, I knew it was leaning slightly to one side; and I knew which direction it would eventually fall.

In my family we have get-togethers periodically with the parents, siblings, and married spouses where we come prepared to discuss a specific gospel topic.  One such discussion was about submitting to  God’s will.  In preparation for the discussion, we all read two talks by Elder Neal A Maxwell entitled “Willing to Submit” and “Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father.”  While reading, a concept Elder Maxwell used in each talk jumped out to me.  He talked about the tilt of our souls.  We know that we cannot serve two masters, for we will eventually embrace one and despise the other.

So into which camp will you fall?  Just like my tree, you will fall in the direction you listfully lean.  It is also interesting to think about how the branch starts to fall slowly at first and then picks up speed.  I think there are some parallels in our lives as well.  As we further embrace one side or the other, the more we lean that direction and the faster we fall to that side.

Nevertheless, just because you or someone you know seems to be leaning in a poor direction does not necessarily mean disaster nor can it be used as an excuse that “that is just how I am” or “that is just my lot.”  That is not a true principle.  Just like trees that lean, we can use stakes and poles and guide wires to help correct improper growth.  Of course, it is easier the younger you start but still not impossible at any age.

One final thought.  As I was writing this poem, the word “listful” came powerfully to my mind.  I wrote it down; but the more I thought about it, I realized I had never heard that word before.  I thought perhaps I was thinking of listless but that didn’t feel right.  When I typed up the poem, listful was flagged as not being a word, so I did some more investigating.  Come to find out, listful is an old uncommon word that means attentive or listening.  It is actually the opposite of listless which means inactive, lack of interest, or indifferent.  It was interesting to discover that not only is listful a word, but it is actually the best word in this context.  That was a neat experience where the Spirit told me something I never even knew.

So, what is the tilt of your soul?

Written: April 2015