Awakening Our Passions

What awakens our passions?  This is a question I reflect on many times; especially when I feel a strong pull towards something or someone.

About 5 years or so ago, a friend of mine invited me to join him on a birding adventure.  We headed out to the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens (which I then found out encompasses over 9,000 acres).  We were joining a guided birding tour, with a guide from the Audubon Society.  My friend came prepared with some super binoculars and loaned me a small, not so super pair for my use.

I’ve always been fascinated by birds, have had many as pets, love the song and call of birds, and many times found myself stopping to watch a sweet feathered friend frolicking, as I scurried along in my busy life.

When we arrived – it was wonderful to see such an array of ages and genders within the group in the tour.  Many were with friends, some alone, but all excited about the sightings we were about to discover.  There were some without any binoculars, and then the other extreme – where they needed a tri-pod just to carry the telescopic wonder – which we were all able to view through when we came across that special bird.

As our guide took us on our journey – he continually spoke of the many varieties in each species.  He taught us to calmly listen to him while at the same time listen for the call of a far off bird, scale the trees and distant landscape for any movement, even if just a quick flutter.

Once we spotted something, we were to bring it to the attention of the entire group – even if we weren’t totally sure.  At that moment we all became one set of eyes and ears.  Once discovered – binoculars went up and the quiet among the group was surreal.

He paused to give us time to view this precious creature, not taking away from “the moment” – but soon after he pointed out what we should be looking at – size of bird, coloring – markings around its head and within its wings – area around the eye – stripes and/or bands on its crown – size, shape and color of its beak – length of tail, whether squared, pointed, straight or crossed – and then of course the song or calling.

I was excited, yet overwhelmed.  Most birds stayed in sight for a few seconds – how in the world would I be able to note all of these points?  But I looked on and enjoyed the new world I was being pulled into.

When I returned home that day – I kept remembering the joy I had during the entire tour.  The excitement within the group – the discoveries we encountered – and I knew this was a new passion.  After obtaining my own guide books, continuing to go on guided tours and receiving a precious gift of binoculars from my daughter, after awhile, I realized I was spotting and indentifying birds everywhere I went.  I thought I recognized markings and when I checked my guides – I found I was either right – or at least within the correct species.  I found some birding friends and we go on both guided and self walks – discovering more and more of these precious birds.

Passion – it unfolds from a stir within your heart.  We can ignore it and never know what it can bring, or we can explore it further and see what more can be stirred.  Not so different than the stir within my heart so many years ago that led me to know my God.  To search further, learn about him, spend time with him, and eventually to hear his voice and know he was calling me to his own.  Passion.