The View Finder
Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:17 (ESV)
I have never seen a whooping crane but after reading this and doing a little on-line research, I have put it on my bucket list. The Whooping Crane is the tallest bird in North America and one of the most awe-inspiring, with its snowy white plumage, crimson cap, bugling call, and graceful courtship dance. (Google) This bird almost became extinct in 1941 with only a count of 21, but the numbers have increased to about 600. Lucy Chambers (All God’s Creatures) tells us what she learned about herself during her trip to a National Wildlife Refuge.
*****
The last wild flock of endangered whooping cranes winters at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Austwell, Texas. People travel from around the world to see these enormous cranes. When my friend invited me to see them before they migrated back to Canada, I was excited.
Sunlight danced on the water as our boat cruised the bays looking for the whoopers. Anticipation was high. Finally, someone called out, “There they are!”
Eight cranes picked their way through the scrubby brush, three snowy pairs of adults with two rusty-feathered adolescents. My friend’s camera clicked and whirred. Eventually, the cranes wandered away, and we motored on to find more. Over the course of the afternoon, we saw many more cranes, some making their whooping calls and others in flight.
I knew what I was seeing was rare. I wanted to have a transcendent moment. But I didn’t. Intellectually, I appreciated these birds, but emotionally I wasn’t feeling it.
When we got back to the house and my friend showed me her pictures, everything changed. Each click had captured a nuance of the birds: the energy of their enormous wings, the personalities of the families, the bold color of their heads. Looking through her eyes and recalling all I had learned on the boat, I was filled with awe.
I needed to be taught how to see the cranes, to have my eyes opened to their wonders. Having a friend who understood them elevated my entire experience.
The world overflows with miracles. Some I can recognize right away and some I need explained to me. But each time another is revealed to me, no matter how much help I may need to understand, I am more able to feel the wonder and trust more deeply in the God who created it all.
Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe. Saint Augustine
Loving Lord, thank You for all living things. Please open our eyes to see and enjoy creation through Your eyes. AMEN.