You Can Hear More Than You Can Ever See.....

As I awoke to a beautiful Spring morning here in Florida, I decided it would be a good day to take my dad, Henry, out for a car ride. When you move to a new area, there is so many places to explore and see for the first time. The best way to learn about new surroundings is to take a ride and with sunny skies and mid 70's, the road was calling me. So I loaded up Henry and the camera and headed down Highway 13 South. Highway 13 runs along the St. John's River and takes you out to the country. Lots of Live Oaks with Spanish Moss mixed in with woods, Palm trees, swamp land, horse farms and farming. With windows down and driving below the speed limit, I was seeing a lot of great picture opportunities. Often passing by, only to make a U-turn and go back, pull off the road and take pictures. Henry has lost most of his eyesight, so I would point out things to him and tell him what everything looked like as we drove. We came to a spot next to the river called Bass Haven, and I pulled over and we sat there for a few minutes, just enjoying the fresh air and sounds. That's when Henry said something that really sank in deep. He said, " Son, did you realize that you can hear a lot more than you can ever see?" I thought, well, he has done it again! Words of wisdom that can be applied much deeper than just sensory abilities. Henry continued, " If you will listen to others the same way you listen to the birds singing, you will become a wise man" " The sounds of nature truly can speak to you, but you don't listen to them completely until you can't see them anymore" " When I hear sounds of water lapping at the shore or the wind blowing in the trees or the chirping of birds, it can take me back to specific moments in my past that seem as fresh as yesterday"

I sat there for a few silent moments, maybe a minute or so, to let what he was saying sink in. Then we headed down the road again in quietness for the next couple of miles. I would stop every few miles and pull over so that Henry would get the most out of our trip.

I believe that life can be a lot like a ride in the country. You can stop along the way and absorb your surroundings or you can speed past everything and miss out on the little things along the way. The birds singing may be your friends and the water lapping lazily may be your hobbies and the breeze in the trees may be you showing that you are considerate of others. I encourage you to slow down and take the ride in the country as you go through your life. You can truly hear a lot more than you can ever see!!

Love John