We live in a rapidly urbanising and increasingly distractive world. It is a world in which we are becoming less sensitive to the environment around us as we progressively isolate ourselves in our air-conditioned homes, offices and cars. We are constantly under the bombardment of the sounds of our radios, televisions, iPods, computers and our telephones. We have effectively locked out the sights and sounds of the natural world. Today, we can live our whole lives cocooned in an artificial bubble and oblivious to the natural world that envelops us. When last did you pause and stare with awe at the night sky without the obscuring effect of artificial light? Did you see the last full moon? Can you tell the time of the day from the position of the sun in the sky? When last did you hear the sounds of the chirping creatures of the forest? When last have you sat quietly and listened to the rhythmic sounds of water gushing over the rocks of one of T&T's many rivers. Have you ever heard the hooting call of the Trinidad Motmot, better known to our rural folks as the douen bird? Have you ever heard the melodious whistling call of the Yellow Oriole, also known as the little corn-bird? And have you ever heard the mesmerising humming sound of one of T&T most enduring national symbols, the hummingbird?
As human beings the more we become disconnected from the natural world of which we are a part, the more we become disoriented and confused about the meaning of our own lives. The more we are connected with nature, the more we are likely to reflect positively on ourselves and the more likely we are to have perspective on the state of our lives and the potential that lies therein. It is Albert Einstein who told us: "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." Our imagination is stimulated through our connectivity with the environment and it is our imagination that is the prime driver of our creativity. As human beings we draw our spiritual energy from three sources, the first being the universal spiritual power, the second, other human beings and the third, the environment around us. A prerequisite for drawing spiritual energy is having a sense of con- nectedness to these three sources. When we are disconnected from the environment we miss the opportunity to be spiritually energised by this source. I share a home with my wife, Gloria, and with hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of hummingbirds, which provide us with a daily reminder of the wonder and mystery of the natural world. It is a world that keeps us both energised as we sense and feel the energy of these mysterious creatures, which are with us in their numbers every day. It is this sense of connectedness that led us to write the following piece entitled Today:
Today is another day in the land of the hummingbird
Today is another day in our journey through life
We welcome today with open arms
We welcome it with a willingness to make today the best day of our lives
We face the day with a sense of optimism knowing that we have the opportunity to make a difference
Knowing that we can make a difference to our own lives
Knowing that we can make a difference to the lives of the many others with whom we interact during the course of the day-be they family members, close friends and not so close friends, neighbours, the birder watchers, the gardeners, the post lady or total strangers
Today we must lift the spirits of all whom we meet
Today we must greet before others greet
Today we must smile before others smile
Today we must laugh before others laugh
Today we must live out our spirituality as we connect with our fellow human beings and with the life-sustaining universe that cocoons us
Today we must cherish the busy hummingbirds that continue to be with us in their thousands
We see hummingbirds as a symbol of the magic and awesomeness of nature
We see them as nodes of spiritual energy reminding us that we are all mutually dependent on one another
We see these shimmering jewels of the air as daily reminders that we are all intricately connected to nature
We see them as bringers of wisdom teaching us that life is about both giving and receiving
Hummingbirds give life through pollination and in turn they receive the life-energising nectar
We cherish the wisdom of our indigenous Amerindians who saw the hummingbirds as sacred, being the souls of their dead ancestors
We see these mystic creatures as linking us to past and future generations
We give thanks that the hummingbirds find comfort in our garden and bring tremendous joy to our people and to our many visitors from far and near
Today we remember that, like the hummingbird, our life's duty is to serve by giving life to others
We see every day as a gift providing the nectar for our nurture and inviting us in return to sustain life through pollination of others with the energy of life
As we savour the sweet nectar of life, we in turn must sustain the life-giving forces of this beautiful planet that we occupy
Tonight as we retire to our beds, let us do so knowing that together we have been a pollinating force in the lives of others
Please join us in making every day a celebration of life