What Sense!

I was on the bus going into town to do some shopping.  Many of the usual faces that have a similar weekly shopping routine were also on the same bus.  Some were deep in conversation while others sat in silence in the world of their own thoughts.  The bus slowed as it got near to the roundabout and lined up behind a couple of cars waiting its turn to navigate around the roundabout.  Suddenly my eye caught something moving just to the right and in front of the bus.  It was a squirrel scampering across the road, missing any moving vehicles with such agility before jumping up into a tree on the other side of the road.  It was so quick I almost missed it.  I don't think anyone else actually saw it, except I reckon the bus driver must have noticed.  Its speed and agility were quite outstanding.  I thought of other creatures known for their speed - the cheetah, the fastest land animal that can run up to 75 miles an hour.  However, the peregrine falcon is the fastest member of the animal kingdom being able to travel over 200 miles per hour.  Wow, we would need to travel by car in order to compete with a cheetah and the peregrine is twice as fast as an express train.  We still claim that humanity is the superior species!


Scientists are beginning to learn the secrets of many species of creatures.  Have you ever tried to swat a fly without success?  That's because the fly sees in slow motion so our quick action with the swatter appears slow to the fly giving it enough time to escape before the swatter reaches the place where it has been.  Some creatures, like the North American caribou, see in ultra violet light while others see in infra red, allowing them to see things that we have great difficulty making out.  There is a moth that can smell a future mate from up to 7 miles away while rats and moles smell in stereo, helping to locate food.  Other creatures can hear sound inaudible to the human ear.  Some dog owners use a special high frequency whistle to attract the attention  of their pet - something they can hear but we humans can't.  Other animals hear and use very low frequency sounds.  There are many such instances of heightened senses in the animal world that are impossible for humans.  When I think of the wonders of the natural world,  it makes me aware of my limitations as a human being, in speed, sight, smell and hearing.  Humanity is just beginning to tap into this wealth of knowledge and using it for good as in ultra sound scans and infra red cameras and binoculars that enable you to see in the dark.

The sad thing is that most of the people (if not all) on the bus that morning were totally engrossed in their own world of thought and conversation and quite unaware of life that was going on around them.  I felt that I had just had a glimpse for a few seconds into a kind of parallel universe where life was lived without our being aware of it.  When we consider the incredible variety and abilities in the natural world that is all around us, how can we not marvel at our wonderful Creator?  What a Wonderful World!  Indeed!!!  I know that many live very busy lives and aren't as fortunate as I am in having the time to just be, observe and think.  But I guarantee that if you can possibly make time, you will greatly enrich your life by doing so.  Our God is a great big God and there is a whole great big world outside of the bubble I call my life.  So much to see and so much to learn.  Up until now I have only mentioned animal forms of life but the whole of creation has so much to teach us if we would stop, look, listen and learn.

Lord, remind me to make time to just be in your creation and be aware of what you want to teach me.