Use The Currents

If we take the time to look, there are messages and lessons all around us – nature is shouting at us in unlimited and creative ways.

Today I watched a small bird, seemingly hovering in the air, no movement, no activity, no pressure.  Then suddenly it began to flap madly for a few moments, before returning to it's peaceful state.

I wondered, what that was all that about?  It hadn't gained any distance, it hadn't caught anything to eat, all it's efforts appeared to have been for no reason or benefit.

Then I realised: It had gained Height.

When I was hand gliding, they taught us that wind was not an endless force that kept on battering us relentlessly. Wind comes in bubbles. There is a beginning to a bubble of wind, and an end. There is a top and a bottom. There is a left and a right. If you are slightly to low, high or late, you will miss the wind. It will pass by you, and you will not be affected by it. This is great if that was your intention, but bad if you had planed to use the wind to elevate yourself, to gain new heights, fresh perspectives, wider outlooks.

To use the wind; that's a powerful expression.

If the wind feels like a never-ending storm, remember it is not never-ending, it is just a bubble of air and it will pass soon. Rather than object, complain, resist and cling on (like the trees),  I choose instead to use the wind to lift myself up, like the small bird.

A burst of hard effort, for the short period of time that the storm lasts, and I will reap the benefits very soon:

• My muscles will have grown during the flapping.
• My head will have cleared in the wind, my skin will be cleaner for it.
• I have used an unfortunate situation to better myself.
• My eyes can now see further.
• My perspective is wider.
• I am now in a New Place, a higher elevation, looking down on my problems.

I learn from the birds!