Songbird June, 1 2011

Bird Song  June, 1 2011

Well here it is, the first day of June. I guess that a lot of people would call this the beginning of summer. I couldn’t disagree with them in the least. The days are longer and warmer. Everything that is supposed to be green, is very green indeed. The humming birds are chasing each other around the feeder out front. I love listening to them squeak and hum.

I have my digital recorder sitting in the kitchen window pointing out at the blue spruce next to the garage in my front yard. I am trying to record the amazing song of a bird perched in the tree. I don’t have a clue what kind of bird it is, but it is one of the most beautiful songs that I have ever heard a bird sing. If I could figure out a way to post the audio file in here I would. It’s song is ever changing and ever so wonderful on the ears. I envy this bird. This guy, or gal, has no idea of it’s magnificence or amazing talent for song. It has no idea how beautiful it is, sitting there on a limb. It has no worries, or anger, or sadness or discontentment or resentments or misconceptions or any of the things that complicate our own lives. It is just a bird, plain and simple.

The life of a bird is uncomplicated. It lives to survive and care for it’s own existence as well as the  lives of it’s own offspring. It has no other predetermined plan other than to be a bird and sing out loud for all to hear. I wish our lives were that simple. I wish our reason for being here was so cut and dry. I wish I had a cookie. I wish I knew what I needed to do as well as this song bird does. Surely there must be a manual online somewhere that can better inform me of my direction and purpose? There must be some sort of guide that came inside the box? How can anyone make heads or tails out of this complicated chain of events without directions? How could anyone possibly know what to do next? There are just so damn many choices that we can make in our lives. So many paths we can choose to go down. So many directions that can take us in countless ways, but where can I find a map?

It seems that as soon as our feet hit the floor when we are born we are set in motion to create and experience our lives. And they are all magnificently different and unique. Our similar objective is to make it to the end, wherever that may be. The end is supposed to justify the beginning. The end is where it is all supposed to make sense and we are introduced to clarity. It is exactly the opposite of that bird sitting on the limb singing his heart out because he is supposed to.

Somewhere along the way we all get caught up in the blender of this big old blue marble that spins around the sun. We see what we want, and want what we see. We live in a world influenced by vision, sound and touch. If you can’t see it, hear it, or feel it, how would you ever know that you might need it?

There are so many different things that we as people are supposed to do. Or at least what we think we are supposed to do. All the predeterminations and plans are reset from our birth. I don’t think that many of us realize that we can reset the remote at any time in our lives. Just one push of the button and we can start over at any time, day or night. One click of the remote and we can change the channel at any time. We all have the choice to look at the situation and if we don’t like what we see, we can for the most part change it.

Change is a remarkable thing. Change is frustrating and wonderful and scary and frightening and all of the things that make it unique. Did I mention Change? Change is also one of the hardest things. With change comes all of the things that we love and hate. Change brings with it, well. Change.

I like to call myself a creature of habit. I, for the most part, do not like change. I like to be able to count on things being the way they are. I like knowing what’s around the next corner, and I dislike surprise. Surprise brings with it uncontrollable events that for the most part tear us away from our complacency.

My life up to last June was as predictable as I could make it. I liked to go through each of my days knowing for the most part what was around the corner. I had my place in this world and my role was pretty much established in my mind. It was what it was, and I was ok with it.

We tend to overlook opportunities that show up in our paths because we don’t make the connections between what is and what could be. There really is a fine line between what we are and what we could choose to be. All we have to do is insert ourselves into the cookie dough recipe and voila.

I have seen some ingredient changes in my life this past year, and for the most part the end product is one that I never would have  imagined. All I need to do is add some extra chocolate chips and I will be sampling another tasty tidbit of ever changing life.

For now I can sit here while pondering my own existence and listen to the wonderfully amazing song of the bird out front in the blue spruce. Sure is a beautiful song. It sounds very happy and content. I wonder what kind of bird it is.