![](https://www.tumblr.com/widgets/share/tool?posttype=photo&canonicalUrl=http%3A%2F%2Ferlita.com%2Falbums%2Fphiladelphia-corners%2Fcontent%2Fmother-bethel%2F&content=http%3A%2F%2Ferlita.com%2Fstorage%2Fcache%2Fimages%2F000%2F077%2Fchurch-mother-bethel1%2Flarge.1560822705.jpg&caption=%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Ca href="http%3A%2F%2Ferlita.com%2Falbums%2Fphiladelphia-corners%2Fcontent%2Fmother-bethel%2F" title="The Crooked Tree"%3EThe Crooked Tree%3C/a%3E%3C/strong%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIn+the+forest%2C+there+was+a+crooked+tree+and+a+straight+tree.+Every+day%2C+the+straight+tree+would+say+to+the+crooked+tree%2C+%22Look+at+me...I%27m+tall%2C+and+I%27m+straight%2C+and+I%27m+handsome.+Look+at+you...you%27re+all+crooked+and+bent+over.+No+one+wants+to+look+at+you.%22+And+they+grew+up+in+that+forest+together.+And+then+one+day+the+loggers+came%2C+and+they+saw+the+crooked+tree+and+the+straight+tree%2C+and+they+said%2C+%22Just+cut+the+straight+trees+and+leave+the+rest.%22+So+the+loggers+turned+all+the+straight+trees+into+lumber+and+toothpicks+and+paper.+And+the+crooked+tree+is+still+there%2C+growing+stronger+and+stranger+every+day.%E2%80%9D%0A%E2%80%95+Tom+Waits+%0A%0A%0ALocation+%3A+The+Mother+Bethel+African+Methodist+Episcopal+Church+is+a+historic+church+and+congregation+at+419+South+6th+Street+in+Center+City+Philadelphia%2C+Pennsylvania%2C+USA%3C/p%3E){kind=link}
The Crooked Tree
In the forest, there was a crooked tree and a straight tree. Every day, the straight tree would say to the crooked tree, "Look at me...I'm tall, and I'm straight, and I'm handsome. Look at you...you're all crooked and bent over. No one wants to look at you." And they grew up in that forest together. And then one day the loggers came, and they saw the crooked tree and the straight tree, and they said, "Just cut the straight trees and leave the rest." So the loggers turned all the straight trees into lumber and toothpicks and paper. And the crooked tree is still there, growing stronger and stranger every day.” ― Tom Waits
Location : The Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church is a historic church and congregation at 419 South 6th Street in Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA