Standing on my doorstep this morning just before daybreak I heard the faint sound of a Songthrush in the distance.
These birds, along with their cousins the Blackbirds do not usually become fully vocal until after the winter Solstice, so I can only presume the mild autumn has encouraged his beautiful, wistful voice to be heard at this time.
It reminded me of one of my favourite poems, The Darkling Thrush by Thomas Hardy. In it Hardy tells of a bleak, cold, mid-winter day, just before sunset, when all is quiet and still. Suddenly ” a voice arose among the bleak twigs overhead in a full-hearted evensong of joy unlimited.” It is a frail, small old thrush trilling his voice into the gloom and frosty air.
A reminder perhaps of this life’s impermanence, and the importance of doing all we can to sing our own personal song in a world which can often appear gloomy and soulless. It is the people who stand outside of the crowd and think alone who make the differences to society. Thinking isn’t enough to create change, however. It is speaking out, and actions which influence shifts in consciousness.
Unfortunately, most people still like to belong to the majority of the mob. By joining together and speaking up against injustice to all life on this planet WE can become that majority. For far too long healers, psychics, free-thinkers, conservationists etc. have been suppressed, mostly by the power and control of the majority mob – politicians, religious societies, corrupt and ruthless money-makers. All these organisations know that ridicule, oppression and bullying through fear are very powerful tools.
There ARE heroes who speak out, of course. We can all be a hero in our personal small society by singing our heartsong. Having the courage to do so will almost certainly create discomfort in some way, but if we just change one person’s perception isn’t it worth it?