A Field Mouse or an Osprey
Author: Harold Byne
Life offers two choices.
We can live scurrying for survival or soaring to the unlimited heights. The choices are modelled by two these two creatures.
A few months back while sitting in a boat fishing with a couple of friends, I noticed a field mouse on the river bank. He emerged out of his hole, darted in a couple of directions, and then scurried back. I thought of the existence of this little creature. His life is spent running around, frightened and frantic, following his nose. He darts here, scurries there, turns in circles, but never really sees much beyond his nose. He is trying to sniff his way to successful living, which defined, by a mouse’s existence, is finding some daily morsel to consume, to sustain him, so that he can carry on for the rest of his life, frightened and frantic. Sound familiar.
A few minutes later I glanced up and noticed soaring high above was an Osprey.
Rather than a picture of a frightened and frantic existence, I saw a wide winged creature using the air currents to maneuver majestically in the unlimited heights. Rather than sniffing out a meager existence, this keen eyed hunter with a panoramic view of the river and lake beneath, was simply waiting for the appropriate time to swoop and capture his prey. The amazing creature, rather than return to some tiny hole in the river bank, glides toward a nest fashioned at the top of the tallest of trees.
The strength in his wings, the power in his talons, the amazing capacity of his vision, the effortless capacity to soar, It is the osprey, not the field mouse that models our human potential.
I don’t know about you, but it is easy for me to decide which creature I want to exemplify my life. I want to soar. I want to explore. I want to see the big picture. I want to conquer. I want to climb higher, go farther, dive deeper, and experience more. I want my soul enlarged, my mind expanded, my heart enlivened and my spirit energized. I want the scurrying to stop. I want the frantic darting about following my nose, to end. I want new strength, fresh thinking, clear vision and resolved courage.
I want to be more and more like the osprey and less like the field mouse, for to live like this field mouse is to insult my creator and deny my true destiny.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
may you soar through your day!
13 comments
Comments feed for this article
February 21, 2012 at 7:08 am
rumpydog
I find myself thinking about this more and more lately. Too many times I’ve found myself scurrying around, thinking that my actions will make me soar to great heights. But ya can’t soar in a maze, and that’s what alot of these life traps really are.
I long for the day when, like the Buddha, I “get it.” I know I’m close, but I still find myself choosing far too often to focus on the maze.
February 22, 2012 at 5:06 am
WordsFallFromMyEyes
Well said RumpyDog – that’s exactly it: ya can’t soar in a maze. True.
February 22, 2012 at 4:00 pm
living4bliss
We often forget to give ourselves credit for our accomplishments. This is probably why we end up in a maze.
Rumpy Dog, you are truly a-mazing. Never forget that.
February 21, 2012 at 7:37 am
willowdot21
We all have choices, we all live with the consequences . We should be grateful for what we have it could be worse.
February 22, 2012 at 5:08 am
WordsFallFromMyEyes
Agreed, WillowDot21. Choices. At the time we make our decisions, we don’t imagine a bad result. We know the risk, but make our choices anyhow. The saying ‘you’ve made your bed, now you’ve got to lie in it’ is one that has always struck me as a real warning. Because it’s true. Justly true, yet still I have heart for some people when I see them suffering the result of their choices. Can’t help it…
February 21, 2012 at 11:02 am
Sue Dreamwalker
Yes, or another way I choose to be the Butterfly not the Caterpillar too Art.. We can spead our lives munching away beneath the cabbages thinking this is all there is.. until that is we tranform and emerge and fly….
Loved this Story Art .. And love those birds who make flying so effortless..
Wishing you well my friend xx
February 21, 2012 at 2:20 pm
Fergiemoto
Soaring higher and higher – can be such a magnificent thing!
February 21, 2012 at 2:28 pm
reflectionsinapuddle
The story sounds pretty cute. But i have a lot of respect for the mouse, as well as the osprey, because both of them are to fulfil their respective roles in the big game of life, one in the field, the other one in the sky. Who is to say whose role is bigger and better? Well, I guess the bird looks more impressive. In terms of applying it to your own situation, I’d say don’t be lured by grandeur, it would be a pity if a mouse fancied herself an osprey… 🙂
February 21, 2012 at 4:36 pm
granbee
An eagle it is, although that field mouse doing aerial acrobatics looks like he is having a lot of fun! Thanks for the encouragement to fly high, always searching for the updrafts, staying away from that which would drag us down!
February 21, 2012 at 6:46 pm
Cat Forsley
HOW IS YOUR BROTHER ART ————— ?????
🙂 HOPE HE IS ON THE MEND ? 🙂
YOUR POSTS ARE WONDERFUL AS ALWAYS –
BUT TODAY JUST WISHING AND HOPING ALL IS GETTING BETTER OVER THERE 🙂 XXC
February 21, 2012 at 7:08 pm
Cat Forsley
February 21, 2012 at 7:10 pm
Cat Forsley
AND PS ——–
I WOULD RATHER BE THE MOUSE 🙂 🙂 🙂
February 22, 2012 at 5:11 am
WordsFallFromMyEyes
Another great Zen moment. Your tales are so insightful, and always so well said. I love visiting your page. I don’t do much regularly on WordPress, but visiting your page I DO. You’ve got one of the best sites on this plane. Love your stories.