Most of us who live at Smith Mountain Lake appreciate nature, its fascinations, and feasts of sight, sound, and smell. But perhaps an area we don’t often consider is the tremendous life lessons that the natural world has to offer if we open our eyes.
THE BUZZARD:
If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and
is entirely open at the top, the bird, despite its
ability to fly will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is
that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a
run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit,
it will not even attempt to fly but will remain a prisoner
for life in a small jail with no top.
If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and
is entirely open at the top, the bird, despite its
ability to fly will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is
that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a
run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit,
it will not even attempt to fly but will remain a prisoner
for life in a small jail with no top.
THE BAT:
The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable
nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level
place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it
can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully,
until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can
throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like
a flash.
THE BUMBLEBEE:
A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there
until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the
means of escape at the top but persists in trying to find
some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will
seek a way where none exists until it destroys
itself.
PEOPLE:
In many ways, we humans are like the buzzard, the bat, and the
bumblebee. We struggle about with our problems and faces to the ground, never realizing that we are trapped by our narrow view of things.
The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable
nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level
place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it
can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully,
until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can
throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like
a flash.
THE BUMBLEBEE:
A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there
until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the
means of escape at the top but persists in trying to find
some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will
seek a way where none exists until it destroys
itself.
PEOPLE:
In many ways, we humans are like the buzzard, the bat, and the
bumblebee. We struggle about with our problems and faces to the ground, never realizing that we are trapped by our narrow view of things.
The answer and the solution to any problem
is to look up to the One who Created it all.
Taking our minds off ourselves and our small perspectives and seeing the bigger picture is the key.
Taking our minds off ourselves and our small perspectives and seeing the bigger picture is the key.