Not only do plants provide us with incredible lessons, but all nature. My friend, Bea shared something that happened to her when a bird flew into a plate glass window at her house. Here’s Bea’s description.
“The day it happened, the bird smashed into the big picture window, and he fell to the ground, his head all twisted and turned. He looked as though his neck was broken and my husband also thought it had a broken neck.
"I went outside and sat in front of the ground and prayed with him for a long time. There was never a flicker of movement on the bird. At one point, I went in and got my Lamsa bible and read some from the book. I continued to talk and pray to him and there was no response.
"About 3 1/2 hours later it was getting dark and my husband wanted me to come in. I said no. He brought out a blanket and I sat on the blanket. I started talking to the bird. I told him I couldn't bring him in the house because I was afraid I would hurt him picking him up. I told him there were a lot of cats around and he couldn't stay there all night. Then I would say "come on, breathe, move those wings, etc." I kept saying this.
Over 4 hours went by and it was really damp and getting very dark. I told him about the time and that I could not stay there much longer. All this talk was interspersed with prayer. I thought I saw a little movement on the eye lid and I started encouraging him to breathe. He opened his eyes. I started saying, "Move those wings, you can do it. Come on move those wings. Breathe. Stand up." He just flapped his wings a couple of times, turned his head and looked at me, peep, and flew off.
"It was shortly after that in the exact spot I had 7 asparagus plants. I loved asparagus and was very excited about them. I transplanted them in the garden. The next year I got more asparagus. The following year it was crocus, then it was a beautiful orange lily, one year a Veronica, then came the Star Gazer, this year it is a lovely, pink Flox. My neighbor comes over to see what new gift I receive each year. It is quite amazing, and makes me realize how important it is for us to be conscious and communicate with nature.”
The story Bea tells illustrates the necessity of recognizing our inter-relatedness to all living things. As we deal honorably with other life forms, nature responds in kind. Perhaps our wild weather patterns, animal diseases, and other imbalances are all results of our collective attitudes of unconsciousness towards the earth on which we live. What might happen if we began to treat everything and everyone with equal respect and dignity? As we utilize the gifts of nature, might we experience some broader miracle if we were to show concern and pray for or with all that we take for granted?
In order to affect major change, it is said that only a meaningful minority is required. Through perceptual adjustment, we can be that, and as such...just imagine! If concern for one little bird brought the gift of so many different flowers year after year, what might our concern for the water, mountains, air, and our food chain bring?... Just imagine!