Are Your Really So Busy You Risk Losing The Day?

The day started like any other, up at 6am and straight to the computer. Having done an hour of work, I knew the cafe would be open, so I grabbed my daughter and headed for the door. It was time for my coffee. Today though, I stopped abruptly when I got to our front gate. There staring right at me, a mere arm span away, was a magnificent kookaburra.

I admired its courage, we were so close and it had not flown away. These are not tame birds, they typically shy clear from humans. The memory of this encounter will stick for a long time, it is so rare. I alerted my wife to the visit too, so she could come outside slowly and meet our friend and there the four of us stood, enjoying each other’s company for nearly five minutes.

When I finished my coffee, I reflected on the experience. I wondered at my own actions, blundering my way to the gate without even realizing the king of the kingfishers was sitting there watching me. Was I really so busy that morning that I could not see what was right in front of me? Did I really need to get so close that I almost tripped up on the bird before I knew he was there?

If I blundered any closer, I am sure the kookaburra would have hit the skies. My inattention would have cost my family such a rare and wonderful experience. These experiences are as rare as diamonds; it would have been a big loss. Instead it has turned into a bit of a wake-up call. I need to slow down a bit, pay more attention to what is happening now. Isn’t it strange how we can get so caught up in our own lives, that we forget we are part of a bigger world?

From my home on Australia’s Gold Coast, my young family of three are blessed with the song (or laughter) of kookaburras quite regularly. Never have I experienced one in such a personal way as I did today. I know from today too that the kookaburra’s song will have a special meaning for me; there will be a message in every verse. “Slow down Damian” it will sing. “Enjoy what is in front of you right now”. A message perhaps we all can benefit from.

Damian Papworth is a committed family man. He recently went shopping for baby high chairs. He found the Fisher Price high chair products were very impressive.