We all struggle with perspective at times. This short video, passed on tonight by a good friend, reminded me how important it is to remember the power of words.
Watching it, I recalled one of my favorite songs, Collective Soul's The World I Know. When the video first came out, it moved me to tears. I was 13. Back then, I was barely a teenager, and couldn't wait to get older. I saw adulthood, ironically, as freedom, the freedom to do and say whatever I wanted. I could be whomever I wanted. Yet, this video suggested being an adult could be trying, that the weight of being human could be a burden. It was a song, and a message, I never forgot.
Sixteen years have passed, and I am well into that adulthood I once envied. I've lost loved ones, fallen in love and out of it, and gone through heartbreak. Like the man in the world (we all) know, pain is everywhere, as unavoidable as natural disaster. But at the same time, beauty is all around us, too.
When we're busy being adults, (or busy on our way to being ones), we often abandon childhood passions, pushing them aside like old toys. Take my early teen years. Back in the day, I was an avid bird-watcher. My family and I lived on a pond with plenty of open space, an ideal environment for spying orioles, or glimpsing a heron at twilight. By the time I was 15, however, I had given that hobby up, and forgot about it for most of my twenties.
Then, recently, I wrote about "birdscaping," the idea of creating a bird-friendly yard for the whole family to enjoy. Let's put it this way. At one point today, I actually squealed, "I remember rufous-sided towhees!" (Fortunately, it was after my interview).
This weekend, I plan to pick up some window feeders. I might even go crazy and buy a field guide. You don't have to look far to discover happiness is always accessible, especially during times of (adult) stress. In fact, it's during those times it's most important to know exactly where to look.
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