Dr. Avibus, a famous American ornithologist, was touring a group of new students around New York City one late Spring day. Emerging from the 81st Street subway station, the professor motioned the students to stop with a wave of his hand. “Listen,” he whispered, “and tell me what you hear.”
The students stopped joking amongst themselves and started to listen and describe what caught their attention. “”The discordant sounds of the city,” said Suzanne. “The annoying cabbies honking impatiently at the traffic,” said Mike. “The squealing brakes on the bus,” said Kelly. “Frank’s heavy breathing,” ribbed Tom to the others delight. “Listen more carefully,” the professor whispered again, “and you will hear the delightful call of the wood thrush.”
Nearly half a minute passed before Frank shouted out, “I hear it! Over there, just beyond the Planetarium!” “Very good, Frank,” said the professor. One by one, each student managed to tune his ear to the melodious call of the wood thrush, despite the cacophony that engulfed them.
It is so easy to be distracted from noticing the wonderful things around us. Anne Frank once said: “The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be.”
What do you listen for in your life? Are you typically expecting the worse? Does that which annoy you ring more loudly in your ears more so than that which inspires and compels you to greatness? What do you listen for when with friends? Is it the same as when you are amongst your foes? If not, then why? There are openings for refinement every circumstance.
Listen for the wonderful, moving, encouraging tones in your world. Take note of the discordant ones, but don’t dwell upon them, just as you would step around a muddy puddle in the road. At times you may even find it necessary to place your overcoat upon the puddles in the paths of others to protect them from the perils of crossing a pond of gossip or a sea of complaint. Help those around you to listen to the joys of life and to escape the clutches of disdain, prejudice and rumor.
I’ve attached two links for your further reading and listening. The first is a fascinating set of recordings of a variety of birds, including the wood thrush, that you can play at both normal speed and half-speed. Just as raptors can see in a broader spectrum than humans http://hawkheaven.wordpress.com/2010/02/10/hawk-eye/, all birds have a remarkable capacity for complex vocal expression. We can only hear the intricacies when the songs are slowed down.
Link #1:
http://www.math.sunysb.edu/~tony/birds/slo-mo.html
The second link is a remarkable collection of information on vocal communication in birds. What they are for, how they are produced, how they vary, etc. are all well-explained in great detail on the following link.
Link #2
Gregory Hake 
It is such habit to get caught up in the “negatives’ of life or the so called “drama”. It seems it is almost a societal addiction. Thank you for the reminder to shift our experience by changing the perspective in which we view our worlds. There are so many beautiful and wonderful things that go on around us in any given moment, why do we care so much about the misery and injustice when the glory goes by unnoticed so often? It helps to have those ‘reminders’. I will make it a point to listen for those beautiful tones bringing refinement to not only myself but allow those around me to feel lifted and encouraged in my presence. Thanks so much!
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This is amazing, I’ll never hear a birds note they same way! It’s also a great time of year for birds, they’re beginning to return – time to make that blue bird house, they will soon be looking 🙂
Like sounds, certain words or phrases often jump off the page at me and what you’ve been writting has given me a lot to consider – Thanks
….”people hear what they’re listening for”….”Help those around you to listen to the joys of life”….”celebrate that which we do have”….”infuse a healthy dose of joie de vivre in your life”….
“the power of giving your best in all things, regardless of what is going on roundabout”….”consistently take the high road”…”Outcome is secondary to the quality of effort”….” Treat those around you with a new and genuine deference”…”the simple things in life are the most notable”…”you may delay, but Time will not”….
the list goes on – these are valuable lessons, not because you or someone else said them but because it’s provided me with a catalyst to reconsider areas of my own life that could use a bit of fine tuning. Thanks for the gentle timely reminders.
Brad
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