Monday, March 14, 2011

Anticipation

Okay, I give in, it's gray again, and once more my immediate surroundings are filled with little birds, singing their hearts out to each other. Some of the gold finches are starting to get their breeding colours and the red polls definitely are ready to strut their stuff with bright pink chests and burgundy heads gleaming.

But I want spring... I want to see the flowers covering my apple trees, and bluebirds vying with tree swallows for the nest boxes. I want to sit in the spring sun and gaze across the valley and hear the sound of a tractor in the distance or nothing but birdsong.

Of course I get what I get, but at least I'm not in war torn Libya, or New Zealand with its earthquake, Australia with a multitude of natural disasters from drought through floods and mudslides. Or in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, China or any one of the troubled countries in Africa. Yes Japan and its disasters have stolen the headlines for now, but soon the media will have something else to get excited about and to warn us of impending doom. Technology makes it possible to get the whole world into a frenzy now. Some days my former career as a journalist looks a little on the shabby side as media use hyperbole to build anticipation for the next "big" story. Good news just doesn't seem to cut it any more

However, technology is wonderful in many other ways. It has brought the world's peoples together. We can all help more easily, more quickly and with more resources than has ever been possible wherever there is need.

And too, I can post this blog and hear back from people in countries I've never visited and whose faces I don't know except perhaps from a photograph, but who have become friends. It is truly amazing what is possible these days.

I just hope that we continue to remember that the terrible and sad stories continue in the parts of the world where the spotlight has moved on to another disaster, another crisis.

So anticipation for me today is about looking forward to spring in my pastoral setting, counting every one of my blessings. My hopes are that anticipation around the world is for some good news for all the countries and people that sorely need it. And of course I hope for good news for the animals too - they are forgotten in these troubled times, but without them, our world is lacking.

Just something that I've been thinking about for the past few days.

3 comments:

  1. I've been thinking about how modern media puts me on over load. Too much info with too little time to process it.

    On the other hand it probably saved lives to those in the Tsunami's path, and let's face it, no one can make me look at the tube or internet. Yet I keep going back for more.

    Thinking about spring is a good distraction.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ah Wild Bill - I totally agree - fortunately or unfortunately my work involves the computer - so I often am here and want to get away... spring or its possibilities can fill my mind with dreaming when my fingers should be running across the keys... Lovely that you stopped by - always enjoy your blogs and your comments..thank you

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have been waiting for you to crack about spring :) That photo is SO beautiful, and like I always say, if anyone needs a little sun and no more snow it is you!

    I loved your words about being lucky we aren't going through the other devastation's that we see around the world. It is so important to remember how lucky we are and as far as the computer goes, I am in front of it every day at work so as you know the evenings and the weekends I try to spend as little time on the computer as I can!

    ReplyDelete