It’s been a while since I uttered some nonsense – that could be good be a good sign… then again…
You won’t fly until you truly let go… you’ll not feel the song until you really hear it… you can’t stretch until you truly wake up…
Easier said than done!?
As Keats inferred, unheard melodies are [probably] sweeter…
A while back I commented: “Listen….. can u hear breathing?… ”
A (heard?) tweet recently mentioned: “Breath is the thread that ties creation together” Morihei Ueshiba
Over the period of lent (I’m not getting in to what that should or does mean), I have gone-without, indeed forsaken, the habitual podcasts etc on my commute to and from work. I enjoy taking in ‘cultcha’ as much as most, be it ‘new music’ or ‘old chestnuts’, intellectual debate or documentary etc.
I’ve occasionally felt the pangs to be ear-plugged (or car stereo) into info- and enter-tainment and inbibe some stimulating amusements (as Neil Postman highlighted) or I guess some digital numbing narcotic. But for the last few weeks I’ve gone without.
‘Entertain’ can mean to hold the attention of, to divert, consider, cherish, maintain…
A favourite bible verse of mine has always been “Where your treasure is there is your heart also” Matthew 6:21 – amongst other things, to me, this means; what you cherish is what essentially makes you, you are what you think and feel, and even; all things fade and therefore so will you…
Without the distracting opiate of one’s earphones, one of the encounters on my commute now is birdsong. From light field-song of small twittering birds to heavy crowing in the wooded areas. Even in the town, birds are prolific if one can just notice them. The rowan trees at the end of my commute are always a stage for nature of some sort.
When you cycle, you cannot fail to notice the ‘nature’ of traffic, people and yourself. We rush to get there, we must catch the one in front, we are already at our destination not noticing where we actually are, we disregard rules of the road and society. It’s hard to remain objective but it seems the nature of people in traffic amplifies attitudes that are inherent in all of us. It also amplifies perspectives and priorities….
It may be a stage of life, but recently I’ve found myself entertaining the natural world and creation more than previously. The Sun is such a powerful phenomena, we take it for granted but just think how it really effects your life. Drugs like Coffee, Chocolate, Cheese… that’s another thing. As you know, our household has pets; gerbils, a budgie and fish. I hanker for The Beeb’s Spring/Autumn/Winter Watch. Some of Country File and iplayer’s factual science and nature offerings are tonics to the daily routine. Loving Tim Spall’s “…at Sea” at the mo. Seeing wild birds fly, rabbits, grouse, frogs, cats prowling… weather… it’s life.
Listen….. can u hear breathing…?
Again Mr. Keats put it beautifully:
“Beauty is truth, truth beauty: that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”
Jules P Richards 