Practicing Observation!

I have been discussing Joy and Love, two character qualities demonstrated by Christ that in my humble opinion are any Christians most valuable assets.   One of the points I am going to mention but not deeply explain or expound is that we are never commissioned to go argue and convince, but simply to love one another, and to preach.  Considering that not everyone is given the spiritual gift of preaching then we must use our other gifts as well as loving those around us, patiently accepting their faults, observant to their needs, and humbly accepting nothing in return.

Noverber 8ish 2010,

This is my lesson in observation.  I am anxiously planned for a quiet day alone to pray and practice observation, and I will be the first to inform you if you are ever concerned that a day is going to be boring and uneventful try being more observant.  You will be surprised by how many oportunities present themselves when you patiently observe and are constantly alert.  Here is how my day played out.

6:15 a.m.  I went to the kitchen of the hostel and grabbed whatever breakfast I could find laying around.  I dodge out the back door and make my way to a quiet mountain trail.  I am spending the week on Isle Grande pronounced (ee la,  grun-gee).  I took the wee morning hours because hiking at this time of day allows the viewing of the transition from nocturnal to daurnil animals.  I did not have to wait long before I was able to put my goal into practice.  While walking and praying I nearly stepped on a species of viper blocking my path.  Typically I would scurry him on his way, but today I decided to observe.  I sat motionless as he did the same.  Neither of us flinched, until a beautiful bright blue humming bird apparently mistook me for a new variety of flower and began darting right up to my face.  I allowed the new friend to continue until I feared my eyes were in danger and stood waving him on his path.

My other companion took this oportunity to also continue his routine and left me all alone on the trail, and so I continued.  As the path meandered around the mountains and by waterfalls, I noticed some 130 year old aquaducts.  I had read that they were on the island but I didn't know where.  But sure enough here they were.  I admit that I had every intention of casually observing from the ground as the trail continued onward, but almost in an out of body state suddenly found myself standing on top of them high above the tree line and making my way towards the top of the mountain much quicker than the trail could possibly have gotten me there.

What a spectacular view, these ruins were so fantastic, and so precisely constructed that now 130 yrs. later I can stand atop and observe the whole side of the island and sun takes it's place in the morning sky and a field of blue chases the brillant shades of red and orange away.  My thoughts drifted to home and how in just a few weeks I would be back in NC for the holidays.

After I climbed down I turned toward home.  I was greeted by a squirrel but not just any squirrel this young man seemed intent on climbing me!  He approached with the same curiousity as the humming bird and would not leave me alone.  Is everyone this friendly when you observe them I wondered.  Finally, I chased him away with a stick, and as he seemed to sulk on a rock looking at me I turned my back and again headed back to the hostel.

After a long morning it suddenly dawned on me how much is available for our enjoyment and for our deeper grasp on the amazing world in which we live, if we only take the time to be observant and to welcome these little opportunities.  The rest of the week contained giant 3 feet long endangered earthworms, sea turtles, monkeys, and other exciting opportunities as I continued to keep wide-eyed and observant to all God's wonderful creation around me.

(No animals were harmed in the making of this blog post, but I nearly went over a 60 ft. waterfall that day after my feet slipped in a creek)
But that is another story for another day.  In the meantime I completed as many hikes as possible while on the Island and finally we finished our amazing week in Isla Grande and were but four days from returning to NC for the holidays!