Week 6 - Mad tools - The Green Heron

 

I found him, finally.  On a hunt for my Monday bird, I was determined to make it a heron of some sort.  I predicted a blue heron but as the morning wore on and it began to get warmer I was still without a heron, and without a bird that made itself known.  As Kirby and I walked around Landa park in New Braunsfels we stopped over the still water that gathered under a bridge but for a considerable width.  Was that a stick out there or was it a turtle? No, binoculars affirmed, it was a bird, stalking its prey. He sat with his beak tilted down staring at the surface of the water. His green head shone from the morning sun. His eyes were intense, his beak ready to make the kill.  

It became "the day of herons" actually.  After my first green, there were blue, tri-colored,  juveniles, and small blues.  The green heron however is acutely aware of its resources. It is one of the only birds that use tools to fish.  Because of their mad skills, ie' dropping bread into the water, or other insects to lure fish, they are considered one of the smartest birds known to man.  

This piques my curiosity.  These birds are resourceful and cunning.  I appreciate how they are largely camouflaged into the scenery.  They are focused. They do not have attention issues.  They do what's needed to eat and they thrive.  If I could have a pinkies worth of that determination and focus.  If I could decide I will use what I have and stand still until I get what I want, what would happen? Standing still for humans to achieve their goals seems counterintuitive but think about it.  Often we must stick with what we are doing to achieve.  I am a hopper. I hop from one activity to another, one book to another, one hobby is great then hop, this one is fun too! Never really mastering or accomplishing.  The green heron, masters and accomplishes.  All the while staying in his zone, his lane, if you will.  He uses what he has to do what he needs and he kills it, literally.  

We all have something, some resource made easy for us.  I have food available, and an HEB down the road. I have cookbooks and online recipes. I have lots of gadgets and I have the desire to feed my family good food. I get lazy though. Other hobbies call my name. Chopping doesn't always sound fun. But eating together and providing something yummy never sounds bad. What if I decided I have everything I need to make 4 great meals a week? I focus on it, use what I have, and stay with it when i"m just wanting a glass of wine and a book.  The Green Heron might agree that it's worth it. The kill of the prey for him the satisfaction of crushing dinner for me.  What's your end game?  What do you already have to make use of?  I'll hopefully never have to stalk my prey for hours on end but I will learn how to be so focused and in the zone that I am camouflaged from the outside world. Then BAM, I get what I was going after and am satisfied and energized for the next day. 

Me and the birds bid you a good night and a bit of good luck finding what you long to accomplish.