One marked change we’ve noticed in our area as winter transitions into spring is many more audible sounds in nature. The geese and ducks call in the dawn as they fly overhead or swim in the ponds. Doves coo from the tree tops and power lines. Robins and cardinals sing their chirps and praises as they flutter through the bushes or along the ground. Water from melting snow and recent rains gurgles and bubbles as it flows over the banks into the ponds and creeks. All these observations as we interacted with nature this week set us to thinking about sounds, from where they originate, and how they affect us. We thought we’d share some things we learned about sounds through nature’s classroom in this week’s post.
“We experience the universe as a communion of subjects, not a collection of objects.” -Fr. Thomas Berry
Theme of the Week: Hear Me
Our theme of the week started when I heard a very special sound while running and biking. At first, I couldn’t believe my ears because this sound normally comes when the temperatures have risen more and the winds are not blowing so cold. As soon as I heard it, I felt warm inside, almost as if I had been transported straight to summer months full of warm breezes, longer days full of sunshine, and blue skies.
The sound belonged to spring peepers calling from the local ponds. The multitude of calls echoed along the valleys and roadway. As I ran and listened, I felt calmer, as if God Himself was saying, “Relax. Everything is going to be alright. Just listen, listen and let go of all your troubles and concerns.”
I also heard some rustling in the bushes and realized it was due to a male cardinal fluttering about. His red body stood out amidst the gray and brown branches. I slowed my pace a little to watch and listen as the bird zig-zagged through the branches before flying up to some higher tree branches. The cardinal and its sounds reminded me of my late grandmother. Gram loved cardinals (or as she used to call them, red birds). She had cardinals on pins, pictures, calendars, dishes, and other objects throughout the house.
Once again, a sound and sight had conjured up a memory. As I reflected on those memories, I heard a whisper of sorts in the wind. It was as if God was trying to tell me something, but all the swishing of the wind blowing muffled the words. Frustrated, I wondered what I was missing in the message, however, it dawned on me that perhaps this was just another reminder that everything was going to be alright.
Though I had planned only a short run that day, I ended up going eight miles, listening and wondering and trying to understand the world around and within me. While I may or may not ever know if what I interpreted was correct, I do know the experience was priceless and helpful to the heart, mind, and soul.
“You can go to hell without moving an inch, just focus on what you lack. You can taste heaven without leaving earth, just rejoice in what you have.” -James Clear
Lesson of the Week: How Can this Be?
Our lesson of the week came while reflecting on the spring peeper sound. How was it possible for the spring peeper to survive in the conditions we were experiencing in our area? Spring peepers are classified as tree frogs and are amphibians. As amphibians, they go through transformations that allow them to begin life in water and then move to land. They also are cold blooded, so their activities come to a halt in cold temperatures, or they migrate to warmer areas to remain active.
In theory, the temperatures in our area have been too cold for the spring peepers’ preferred living habitat. However, given we have had a few spells of warmer temperatures combined with more sunshine to warm up the ground, it is plausible the warm up, brief as it was, was enough to entice the little creatures out of their hibernations.
The research I did to find my answer to how the spring peepers could be out already set me to thinking about sounds once again. There is a possibility for any sound at any given moment in life. However, sound requires a stirring of sorts, be it from a deep breath, vocal chord stimulation, agitation, or other movement. Sound travels in waves, which are moved through the air with the help of things like wind and amplifiers. Sound can be because it is stirred to move. Even silence is a sound so to speak (no pun intended), but its sound is not audible. The potential for it to move us comes through our experience with and in it. A quiet morning or evening spent watching the sunrise or sunset can be a very moving experience. While the colors of the sun may move the heart or set the mind to thinking more positive thoughts, it is the silence that moves the soul, allowing one to feel connected with the environment.
“Soul is the blueprint inside of every created thing telling it wat it is and what it can become.” -Richard Rohr
Science Lesson of the Week: Dualities
Our science lesson of the week came during the research we did on spring peepers and more specifically, amphibians. Amphibian is made up of the word amphi, meaning both, and bios, meaning life. Amphibians lead double lives of sorts, for they are born in water and then over time transform to live on land. The transformations that occur include the change from gills to breath in the water to lungs to breathe on land, fins to move in water to legs to move on land, and switching from a vegetarian diet in the water to an animal diet to live on land.
Thinking about this a bit more and tying into our topic of the week on sound, one can find parallels of sorts. Sound at times can be heard, but at other times cannot if muffled by insulating factors like snow or house insulation. Sound travels in waves, and these waves transform as they move from the source out into the atmosphere. Sound also can occur at a multitude of levels, ranging from ear-piercing to inaudible to the human ear.
As the above examples illustrate, it is possible to have multiple identities of sorts, and we as humans need to be careful to stay true to ourselves so as not to misrepresent ourselves to others. This is becoming a more difficult task in the current world with so many technological inputs and even replacements for humans. The challenge lies in actually living life, going through all the emotions, hardships, joys, sorrows, times of prosperity and uncertainty and still coming out with the soul in tact.
One way to stay true to ourselves is to spend time in nature and with God (or a spiritual sense). To take moments away from the “noise” of life and quiet the mind so the heart and soul can recharge and find inspiration to endure and carry on. Perhaps the soothing sounds of nature (like that of the spring peeper or running water) experienced in nature are just the ticket we need to get back on track.
“Inspiration is merely the reward for working every day.” -Charles Baudelaire
Thoughts This Week: Reality
Some words we came across this week that offer up some things to think about as we continue to make our way upon life’s journey:
“We spend a majority of our time interacting with thoughts and opinions about everything. We’re almost entirely fixated on our computers, smart phones, news feeds, email, social media, and selfies. This is, of course, an “unnatural” world of our own creation. We don’t even realize that we’ve disconnected ourselves from the only world that people lived in for most of human history.” -Richard Rohr
“God’s anxiety therapy includes a large, delightful dollop of gratitude.” -Max Lucado
“No matter how gifted a leader is, his gifts will never reach their maximum potential without the application of self-discipline.” -John C. Maxwell
May we allow nature and God to guide us throughout our lives. May we learn to experience life to its fullest extent, and may we find peace in time’s sound.
Time’s Sound
Sunrise in the east
Growing light meant to lead
The heart and the soul
As they embark and take hold
Of the here and now
With no fear or doubt
That all will be made well
As the days melt
With time’s sound
Echoing by and around.
Deer in the bush walk along
As the skies push the clouds on
And the spring buds
Bring much
Excitement to the space
Enlightened by God’s grace
Within time’s sound
And the light that abounds.
Spring peepers calling
Leave their rising and falling
Voices out with gusto
As if no one else knows
Their plan or their place
In the landscape;
Happy the heart, happy the soul
In nature’s art and God’s hold
Amidst time’s sound
Ringing light, ringing loud.
-Lisa A. Wisniewski
A Note of Thanks
Our thanks this week goes out to my mom and my late Uncle Jim, both of whom taught me at a young age to listen for the spring peepers. Thanks to both of them for helping foster my love of nature.
-Lisa, Leo, and Lena
Natural Deltas 
Thanks for the memory of the spring peepers, Lisa. When I lived at the farm, they filled the evening with their song, their arrival I anticipated every year.
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Glad you enjoyed the reminder, Cheryl. I have many memories of nights on the porch listening to the spring peepers calling from the pond over the hill. It gave new meaning to music to the ears.
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