Birds on a wire...

I look, but I do not see...
I listen, but I do not hear...

I look every day, I look in the mirror, I look at my husband, I look at the TV, I look at Facebook, I look at the words on this page,  but do I really "see" what I am looking at...Have you ever watched birds on a wire... an example of personal space.  They sit more or less evenly spaced, when one takes flight... they all adjust, when one lands... again, they all adjust. Some times there is more space, sometimes less, but it always seems to be even.  It was an observation, I was "seeing" those birds for the first time that day. I was fascinated as I spent a few minutes watching them land and take off and the wonder of it... Just an observation, I was "seeing" that day.


Yesterday I was stopped at a traffic light in down town by one of the old churches, I use this route may times in the course of a month. For the first time in over 30 yrs that I have lived in this town, I noticed the transformers on a pole and how oddly the wires ran to the underground supply. Just an observation, I was "seeing" that day.

I look, but I don't always see, and when I do, it seems there is great wonder in what is to been seen.

I listen every day, I listen to the radio, I listen to conversation, I listen to the ambient noise... but do I really hear it.  How many times has someone been talking to you and you replied " what" I didn't hear you.  Was it your hearing or was your mind elsewhere. How many times have you listened to the sounds that surround you during the day. The honk of a car horn on the way to work, the sound of the copier feeding paper, footsteps in the hallway...

I stepped out side one evening, not long after a thunderstorm passed. It seemed awful noisy... so for the first time since we moved to this house, I stopped and listened.  I heard a whole symphony playing. It reminded my of a Disney movie... as I listened to the frogs croaking and the crickets, cricketing and the locus, locusing (yes, Bill they are words, I just made them) ... as they each made their special sound, I envisioned the scene from the little mermaid, where the prince is about to "kiss the girl". Of course it sounded nothing like that... but I imagined that is where the idea came from... someone was not just listening... they were hearing.

If we are not seeing the birds on the wire, I fear we are missing out... we are not in the present moment.

I am guilty... I don't stay in the present often enough, I am busy worrying about what has to be done next, who needs what, how to make that next dollar, what do I need to do tomorrow, what's for dinner tonight...
and a plethora of other daily things in life that have to get done.

So now I have said it, out loud... and it is time to do better.  I will try to take time every day to be in the present, be in the moment.  See the dimples on my husbands face when he smiles at me, feel the softness of his skin as he hugs me. I will try to listen for the sounds the day makes as it wakes from its night time slumber. I will look for the rainbow after the rain, I will listen to the meaning in the lyrics of the song, I will savor the smooth sweetness of the chocolate...I will stop and take a moment each day to "see, hear, touch, smell and taste" the world around me and see just what it is I am missing...  I will try to do better...

I know I won't be good at it at first... but with time I know I can learn to better and so can you...

Life is simple... enjoy the journey