Yes I know it is the title of a album by Tim Weisberg and Dan Fogelberg. I never really understood what must have been going on with Tim and Dan until now. I feel like I met a brother I never knew I had…you know someone you feel so easy around…like time and space and distance holds no bounds…I feel like I am one of the Morriss Brothers. Let me explain.
Well it all started you see at Conwy. We got on the Irish ferry from Dublin to Holyhead in anticipation of getting a car and heading out on our Wales, Scotland, England leg of our adventure. Of course, because we’re Wertz’s, there were no cars available.
So we’re sitting in Holyhead ferry station looking for somewhere to go, when we chance upon this city of Conwy, Wales. There is an entire city built inside the walls of this castle built in the 12th century by King Edward. It looked awesome, but with no reservations anywhere we would take a chance and we booked a rail ticket to Conwy.
On the way, with the wonder of the iPhone, we found the link to a place called Bryn Derwyn (Oak tree Hill in Welsh), and rang them up. Unfortunately, they had no room there but had a little unit right over by the train station. We agreed on a price on the phone and went for it…sight unseen.
Well to say it was lovely was an understatement. It was a three story flat with narrow tiny stairs…kind of Swiss Family Robinsonesque. We met Andrew the owner and he hooked us up and included a breakfast at Bryn Derwyn to top it all off…LOVELY! The flat sat right up against the wall of the castle ands we could reach our hand out the bathroom window and touch the 700 year old wall. Pretty historic.
So the next morning we head off to breakfast…quite awkward at first cause everyone at that B&B knew we were not one of the guests…they thought we were “crashers” I guess. But we sat down anyway and met Andrew’s father, a very polite man, and he escorted us to a table behind a door…kind of in the corner.
So we meet a lady from Maryland and then she goes over and talks to this guy (it was really just a voice to us…we can’t see him and he can’t see us) about him being in a bluegrass band. Well we had heard there was a sort of festival here beginning on the weekend and obviously he was here for that. Mrs. Maryland was done and so from behind the door I spoke up and said…”BLUEGRASS…I LOVE BLUEGRASS!!!”
Well that started a great conversation that went on and on and on. We talked from behind the door for a bit, but as the suspicious guests left we made ourselves more comfortable…eventually joining up at our table. His name was Trevor Morriss. Turns out he’s in a band called Matching Ties…he and a friend from the States. He was a Brit but has lived in Munich for the last 30 odd years. He was joining up with his brothers Glyn and David (the Morriss Brothers) after an eight year hiatus, to play some bluegrass at the festival. He has a really lovely life with a wonderful lady and a precious daughter.
Well our conversation went from music to life to politics to spirituality, back to music and life and God…well it was a wonderful conversation. I happened to mention to him…well down the conversation road that I was a pastor. His face was hilarious…not sure he had ever met a pastor who knew as much about Pink Floyd as he did. I am way sure he never sang all the words to "Friend of the Devil" by the Dead with his pastors growing up. But it was a really cool time of just talking about what we believed and listening to understand what he believed. He was raised in the church but set out to find a bit different method of experiencing God.
When he told us he was headed to Oregon to play music we tried to find out where and when so maybe we could come and see him play. Turns out he is playing at Willowa Lake, a place we really wanted to go. I told him that’s where the book The Shack takes place…another long discussion ensued about the premise of the story, which sent us off on another tangent. He thought he might like to read it. Well it just so happened that I had thrown a copy in my bag to reread on our adventure…and well…we agreed to get together later and get him the copy.
We got the book and we hooked up with Trevor and now Glyn the banjo brother, and Joe the rock and roll mandolin player, and Jerry the eccentric fiddler, down at the waterfront pub. We were there for hours laughing and joking and getting closer and closer. What a joy to get to know them and sing and play music…and well…it was family.
Sometimes, our own families don’t fit us so well…we feel odd around people we should feel normal around. And then you meet your twin brother from a different mother…and well…it feels just so right. Trevor is my brother…
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