Opportunities in Nature

By: Maggie Marshall | Posted in: Connection with Nature | Monday, Aug 25, 2014 - 10:30am

Do you ever feel like you’ve missed opportunities in nature, to record something, even if it is only in your own mind. You forgot to bring your camera or your binoculars. You didn’t take the time to stop, look and listen.

Recently I went out without my camera or my cell phone.

I was driving along a dirt road where the marsh and water hugged the road – no shoulder, no ditch.  It felt like driving right in the middle of a marsh. Many birds were swimming around.  As there was no traffic, I could stop and watch.

There were many coots with babies right beside my car. Why did I not have my camera? How often do we get the chance to be that close? I watched the mothers feed the little guys.  Sometimes the chicks looked like they were taking a stab at feeding themselves too.

So I just sat and watched and immersed myself in the energy of being with nature.  I thanked the birds for letting me get that close. When you don’t have a camera, what else can you do.  And maybe that is more important.  If I had a camera, would I just take the pictures and move on, like the photo is some kind of trophy or bragging rights? – Look how close I got!

So there were two lessons for me that day.  Always take you camera.  My camera is not fancy and I am not a professional but I get pleasure out of using my own photos, of capturing that moment.

The other message is whether I have a camera or not, open my senses and just be with nature.  Just feel the connection with another species and their life and feelings.  How did those little coots feel.  Were they having fun following Mom around. That’s the feeling I got.  That all was well with their world at this moment in time.

 PPS – I went back a few days later and got a picture, but not as close as I would have had the other day.  And my attitude was completely different.  My intent was to get a picture, not just be. So here it is, birds at a distance.

I would love to hear your comments.