Do You Still Hear The Birds Chirp?

This morning I was getting ready for the day just like any other morning. I was actually drying my hair with a towel when I heard a strange screeching sound.

 

I stopped drying so I could better listen.

 

Then I heard it again, and again.

 

Finally, I identified the source and I smiled.

 

The sound was coming from outside the window. It was a bird whose call I didn’t recognize.

 

Well if you know me, then you’ll know that I love birds.

 

But there was no sense in quickly looking out the window to try and catch a glimpse of the bird, because, well, I’m nearly blind without my glasses!

 

So, I just listened and enjoyed the moment.

 

Then a thought resurfaced, one that I’ve been having for some time…

 

It’s a rather troubling thought to consider (at least to me) and one which I’ve been having more and more frequently.

 

And it appears that this concern affects far more people than I first realized.

 

Whether you have attended classes with me through The Inner Light Group or private spiritual guidance sessions, or simply followed my posts on Facebook or Twitter, then it will come as no surprise to hear me say that I think we do a superb job at making this thing we call life far too difficult.

 

… And may I add, far too complicated.

 

Here is what I’ve personally experienced (once or twice) and I observe on nearly a daily basis.

 

You can decide for yourself if the shoe fits for you.

 

From the time that we wake up in the morning until the time that we go to bed at night, our minds are constantly on the move from topic to topic.

 

This is not new news!

 

But here’s the part that has taken the reactive, racing mind to a whole new level.

 

We are bombarded with information and communications on a daily basis. Be it on our smart phones, the internet, or on television.

 

There is more and more “multi-tasking” going on now than ever.

 

People are in face-to-face conversations with those they care about, but they aren’t really there, because at the same time they are reading something on their “smart” devices.

 

Now please, don’t get me wrong, this is not a personal rant against technology.

 

I have a smart phone which I use to communicate, stay in touch with, and connect with readers on social media as well.

 

Heck, I even clip digital coupons for the grocery store!

 

I think most of this stuff in amazing and very cool.

 

When I got my first smart phone it didn’t take me long to realize that I was becoming a slave to the device.

 

In addition to the obvious telephone, I found myself reacting to emails (constantly), and checking my social media accounts (constantly).

 

Notifications and alarms were going off left and right… it was crazy!

 

There’s an implied (yet false) sense of urgency that we are going to miss something.

 

We quickly become very reactive.

 

Have you ever felt this?

 

Within a few short days I said, “enough.”

 

I quickly learned that I had to put it down and allow some time to just be.

 

As the saying goes: there’s a time and place for everything.

 

I can remember when technology was beginning to change and become a part of our lives in a whole new way.

 

Maybe you can remember this too…

 

More so, I recall reading information confidently stating that technology would help the everyday person become so much more “productive,” that in the near future we would all be working only four days a week.

 

Has this happened for you?

 

I know it hasn’t for me.

 

Whoever predicted this made assumptions which did not take into account knowledge of human behavior.

 

Neither did they include the possibility that new services (unknown at the time) would simply fill-in and quickly replace any time that was indeed freed up.

 

So why am I troubled over this trend?

 

It’s simple…

 

I know the freedom and inner peace that comes to those who have learned to insert even a small amount of quite time in their days.

 

It takes slowing down the mind to be able to connect with yourself and with the spirit side of life.

 

And most certainly to connect and become aware of the divine presence in your life.

 

Many people pray, fewer listen.

 

Are you listening?

 

Our constant, nonstop attention to the other things I mentioned a moment ago can, if we aren’t careful, absorb so much of our time and attention we don’t give ourselves the gift of a little quite time to re-connect.

 

We all have 168 hours in a week, no more, no less.

 

I am not suggesting you stop using technology!

 

I am suggesting you perform a quick self-assessment of the number of your waking hours you are engaged in those things.

 

What if you took just ten minutes away from technology and gave it back to yourself in the form of just sitting quietly or meditating or simply doing nothing.

 

You won’t miss a thing, trust me!

 

This one small act can add huge benefits to your state of mind, to your inner peace, to your entire life.

 

Such an easy thing to do.

 

Aren’t you worth it? Yes you are!

 

Back to the beginning of this message when I wrote about hearing the bird chirping, it made me wonder if people are getting so busy in the busy-ness of everyday life that they no longer hear the birds chirp (because of all the distractions and mental noise).

 

Do you still hear the birds chirp?

 

Or are you missing some of the wonders of life?

 

Something to think about…

 

Peace and many blessings to you!

 

Michael