We have forgotten how to slow down; we have forgotten the wonder of a child seeing the world with new eyes. The world is full of wonders if we only take the time to see them. We don’t even have to go searching for them; they are all around us. Consider how a tree grows; it has been said that every leaf is situated perfectly so that it doesn’t shade another leaf and no other leaf shades it; all of the leaves are in the sunlight. I find that amazing!
Have you ever watched a bird fly? Each bird seems to have its own way of flying: the sparrow flaps its wings in spurts; the finches fold their wings against their body, fall a few inches, flap some more and rise, fold their wings and fall and on and on. Their flight looks like a giant sine wave. Hawks flap lazily until they hit a thermal and then soar effortlessly. Hummingbirds hover, can fly up, down and backwards.
Butterflies come in so many sizes, colors, patterns, you would have to be an expert to identify them all. Then there’s the sphinx moth that looks and flies like a miniature hummingbird. I remember the first time I saw one; I was so entranced watching it and then had to go look it up to see what it was!
Then there’s the flowers! We have wildflowers in a couple of beds in the front yard. I planted the seeds about 4 or 5 years ago, yet they continue to reseed and grow year after year. We scattered bulbs in various places about 10 years ago – so long ago we forgot where they were until spring when they sprout and grow and flower. Isn’t that amazing!!
Trees are just as amazing – I have seen little trees sprouting out of cracks in the sidewalk or out of the side of a mountain where no crack is visible. And there are so many shades of green here – who knew there were an infinite number of greens? In spring, when things start waking up after winter (and here that means Feb or March) the variety of shades of green is mind-boggling.
Since living in the desert, I have learned that most of the flora and fauna have adapted in unique ways to living in the hot, dry, climate. The jackrabbit has huge ears that are riddled with blood vessels that serve as air conditioning. Other mammals stay in burrows during the day and are only out to forage early mornings and late evenings. And how do the birds manage to perch on the prickly cactus without getting spines in their feet! The toads only come out to sing in the spring after a rain; the rest of the time they stay hidden in their holes in the riverbank. Tarantulas, too, mostly only come out after a rain.
Yes, we live in an amazing world and I thank the Creator every day for allowing me to see and hear all this wonderful world has to offer.
A New Beginning 