Look, See.

Yesterday I traveled into Cranbrook to take a walk out in the bush and do some bird watching with my friend Dean. I didn’t even make it out of Invermere when I noticed Mt Nelson towering in the distance. The entire sky was still overcast, yet clear above Mt Nelson, with the bright sun shining down on it.

When I drive, I’m always scouring the tree tops and power poles for birds and the side of the road for wildlife that may decide to pick a fight with my car. On the way there, I noticed some ravens circling above the train tracks beside the highway. I figured something must have got hit by a train.  As I drove past, I also noticed a bald eagle sitting on the fence post beside the tracks. I figured I better turn around and check things out. As I got back to the spot, and pulled off the side of the road, 5 bald eagles flew up out of the grass.  Naturally I spent some time there observing and taking pictures.

Later, while out walking near Kimberley we spotted some white wing cross bills eating seeds from pine cones way up top of the trees.  They were not that easy to see as the tree was very tall and the birds somewhat camouflaged, but Dean managed to spot them. It was exciting for me because I hadn’t seen these birds before. Well, if I had seen them in the past, I hadn’t really noticed them, nor had any idea what they were.  It was fun to watch them through the binocs as they have a bill that crosses at the tip, allowing them to open the cones and access the seeds inside.

On my way back to Invermere late that afternoon, I stopped near Ft Steele to walk around an icy stream and see what I could find. I heard a beautiful bird song in the distance, but couldn’t visually see it. I walked around for about 15 min thinking to myself, there’s nothing here.  I thought that it was too late in the day and too cold to see anything. But then I remembered how Dean would just be still, and listen, and look around. He always spotted things. So I gave it a try. I sat down by the water, and gave my full attention to my senses. It wasn’t long before I noticed some movement in the water.  Oh yes!  An American dipper. They are often found in small rocky streams and along the rocky sides of rivers. When they are standing on the rocks, they bob their whole body up and down on their long legs as if dancing to the rythym of a song in their head. When they are in the water, they dive right underneath looking for aquatic insect larvae. It’s really cool to just sit and watch them.  That is just what I did. For almost an hour. I followed him down the stream watching him through my camera lense and with my naked eye. Him, oblivious to my existence.  Before driving back to Invermere, I stood by the stream and meditated to the sounds around me, yet not identifying the sounds. Simply hearing them.

Driving home, while admiring the sunset on the fresh snow capped peaks, I pondered about the lessons I learned this day. Some lessons relearned, or at least I was reminded of them. Patience for one. Live in the moment and don’t force the moment.  Don’t let negativity direct my thoughts.  Last, and just as important, don’t only look, but see. There is so much that happens around me, and so much of that is beautiful, and awe inspiring. I need to notice things throughout my day that touch me. In that, I see so much around me that I am grateful for, and in turn, this keeps my mind in a very healthy and positive state. In that state of mind, I find my freedom.  Freedom from negativity, freedom from feeling stress over life situations, freedom from worry, and the freedom from controlling thoughts that limit my awareness around me. Awareness of all that is beautiful and meaningful.