Listening to a bird

Yesterday morning as I was outside drinking my morning coffee, a bird caught my attention. It was fairly loud and had a unique "call". As I listened to it, it would call out and then wait. In the silence, I heard another bird (or birds) off in the distance respond. Then the bird close to me would repeat its message. This "call and response" continued for a bit and caused me to reflect.

I wrote a short post about it on my Instagram and Facebook pages, including a photo of the bird and a short video clip.

I decided to share it here, on my blog, as a way of keeping my writing together, though much of it is on Instagram and Facebook. Such is life.  

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This bird first came close by, on the lamp post. Its loud call startled me. I haven't had much coffee. It flew to the fence post and continued. Its rhythmic call caught my attention (short video clip). As I listened, I recognized that it was a call and response. As this bird stopped and waited, I could hear similar sounds in the distance. Were they saying good morning from different places? Were they offering information on bird food? Were they making plans to join up for a morning exercise fly? I don't speak bird, so I have no clue. I can, however, take from this encounter this: when I call out, I will wait for the response. When the response comes, we have an ongoing conversation.

Oh, it may not always look like that, but it is a good goal. "Wait upon the Lord" comes to mind. Psalm 24:14-- Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart  and wait for the Lord." Same verse in Nan Merrill's Psalms for Praying:

Call upon the Beloved,

be strong and trust

in the heart’s courage.

Trust in the power of Love;

the Beloved’s unconditional and

everlasting love for you.

There are many other birds singing and conversing this morning. I heard a woodpecker in the distance. Yet, it was this one bird who connected me with the Holy this morning.

Peace on this day.

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The bird was back today, repeating its message. I didn't hear its friends this morning, but maybe the other sounds were distracting me from hearing them. The road noise and barking dogs in the distance are louder today. That happens some days, doesn't it?! They are other sounds, noises that drown out another sound. If we train ourselves to hear, to listen more closely, maybe we can hear the sounds through the background noise of road traffic and dog barking. 

May we have ears to hear, to truly listen-- to all that speaks, internally and externally.

Rev. Deb