Journey XIV Week 16
Stop, Breathe, Listen and Expect
New Life. Left: Last Tuesday, April 27th at the Low Water Bridge, Mama swan sits in perfectly made nest and waits patiently for her babies to arrive. Middle: About fifty feet from Mom and her nest, Daddy swan protects her and the babies from the kayaker. Right: Thursday, April 29th, the Texas Rowing Center, THE BABIES hatched and Mom and Dad are very proud!!
“Every day holds the possibility of a miracle.” — Elizabeth David
Action: Avoid letting your busy schedule keep you from taking the time to experience magical moments and even daily miracles. Take time each day to stop, breathe, listen, and expect. Guaranteed.....you'll never be disappointed.
Honestly, last week I was not expecting to witness a magical moment. On Tuesday afternoon Kathleen expressed that I MUST get to the low water bridge and see the incredible sight. She exclaimed that Mom and Dad swan had built a beautiful nest and Mom had been sitting on it for at least one month. Time was of the essence as the babies would probably hatch soon. But Tuesday evening I was tired, hungry and not eager to do anything but get home, however I decided that I needed to see first hand what Kathleen had passionately articulated. So, 7:15 p.m. I made my way to the low water bridge to experience nature at her very best.
Initially, I was disappointed because while the mother swan was in her nest and lying on her eggs, Dad was not sitting next to her as I had expected. However within seconds I spotted him nearby. He was flapping his wings to take off and land near a kayaker, who was about fifty yards from Mom and her babies.
What I was about to witness was truly fascinating. While the kayaker was minding his own business, Dad didn't see it that way. The kayaker could not see the nest and at first seemed delighted to be greeted by the graceful bird. However, when Dad rose out of the water, loudly flapped his wings and wouldn't leave the kayaker alone, I could tell he was perplexed. As for me, I was amused but also concerned for the poor guy because while swans are beautiful their looks and personalities are often not identical. Meanwhile, Mom was perfectly content and she sat on her eggs while Dad protected them. Finally, I assume the kayaker realized he was not welcome because he paddled away and it was then that I decided to call it a night and go home.
The next day, Wednesday, I went back to the nest and Mom and Dad were both off of it, which made me very suspicious. Was it possible the babies had hatched? Then on Thursday while iGniting at the 9:30 Northshore Overlook location, we saw the new family of eight! The babies DID hatch and Mom and Dad were proudly showcasing them on Lady Bird Lake, while not letting them get more than a few feet away. It was Mom, Dad, and their six babies . The moment was sweet, natural and perfect.
Truly, I feel honored and even lucky to have seen the natural wonder, which I believe was nothing short of a miracle. What were the odds that I'd get to see the amazing before and after stages? However, what did occur to me was that many miracles occur every single day and it's up to me to stop long enough and take the time to experience them.
We all have extra busy lives. Our schedules are jammed and our minds and spirits get preoccupied, restless and tired. Many times this leads to hopelessness and we forget to stop, breathe, listen, and expect. As a result, we often times miss out on many of the miracles that really do occur on a daily basis.
Last Tuesday I wasn't expecting to witness a natural wonder. If I would've followed my hungry and tired body and busy mind I would've completely missed out on a miracle. It was a great lesson for me to make time for extraordinary moments, which always calm and center my spirit.
The month of May, much like December, is quite possibly the busiest month of the year. We all have a million to-dos and we're occupied from dusk 'til dawn. However, each day I encourage you to stop, breathe, listen, and expect. You'll never be disappointed and often times you'll experience magical moments, with many occurring outdoors and in nature, as nature has a funny way of providing exactly what we need. And if you're really lucky you'll get to see a dancing bird like Snowball...
If you don't see a video above, please install the Adobe Flash player.