Opportunity - Sounds - Wonder

Opportunities - Sound - Wonder 06/16/2014 10:56 AM There are two great opportunities for listening to the sounds of nature that I have yet to determine which is my favorite. In the morning hours listening to the birds singing is really a unique moment. This opportunity can be so easily overlooked in life if we don’t purposely plan to seize it by sitting down in a chair and just listening. Failing to plan such a moment into the active schedule of our lives might never be missed by you, but experiencing the moment will cause you to heighten your senses to the beauty of God’s birds singing their individual songs. The other great opportunity happens at the opposite spectrum of the day. Morning is for listening to the birds sing, seeing the sunrise and — if doubly blessed — feeling a gentle breeze. The evening or setting sun naturally creates an opportunity for those other creatures of God’s to come out into the sound of air and do their thing. Watching a sunset is always awesome. For lovers of the setting sun this experience on a beach is a great place and a much desired place to experience such. The significance about a setting sun moment on the beach is the experience has some length as the ocean goes out to see and the sun sets on the body of water. One has hours to enjoy all the changes of the single experience. Personally I love the setting sun in the mountains. Now this moment is not going to be lasting for hours, something that ‘city folk’ might not be prepared for. Life in the mountains teaches you that you better come quick and fast because here in the mountains once the sun sets behind the mountain, it is gone! Listening in the evening to the sounds of nature I have a tendency to lean toward at my favorite time. Listening to the frogs and crickets, my ears have a strong attraction and attentiveness to the moment. I am not sure what it is about the experience that I like the most either. With no lights visible and just the beauty of the night sky hearing frogs I truly enjoy. It could be that this moment is a happy time because I love fried frog legs and I am thinking about a great meal, but I know this thought is not my real motivation. The experience of listening to the frogs at night is a great opportunity for me to relax and take in the wonders of God’s world. It is more than just simply listening to frog croak that I enjoy. I love listening to the chorus of frogs that seem like they are everywhere croaking and croaking and then all of a sudden total silence. Now if you have never stayed around long enough when the chorus or symphony of frogs are in unison until a moment of silence, then I want to invite you to “sit a longer spell, if you will.” The moment of frog silents happens totally unexpected and then without reason or rhyme the begin again all in their own time. I have attempted to motivate the frogs in their effort of night time entertainment with a sound or human noise. Yes, the frogs will at times seem to stop and listen and then no doubt continue their conversation by saying something like, “Can you believe that guy sitting on the porch thinks he can mess with us?” I confess I do not have the ability or even as mountain folks love to say, but cannot spell, the ‘frogiest’ idea of how to, but I like the frog listening opportunity available to us. I can whistle but I know I cannot sing the language of the singing birds but there is something about the practice of whistling that makes you have a merry spirit and at least a smile on your face from the practice of the art. I am sure that there are some of you reading the column that are going to take the time to plan a moment to go to your porch and attempt to take in the experience because you immediately know you have missed the moment and opportunity. Others of you might be tempted to just keep on the current schedule you practice of using your front or back door as an entrance way for coming and going, and continuing to miss the opportunity of a might chorus awaiting your presence and attendance. Don’t miss out on the great things of life, like the little things. It is very well possible that your life is in great need of a little thing that will remind you of all the unique wonders in our Father’s World. Until then... You can reach Tim Mills at timothy.h.mills@gmail.com