My Prosperous World

I woke up this morning to my usual routine, an hour of work prior to the local cafe opening. Once 7am arrives, I dress my daughter in whatever is convenient, bundle her in her pram and head down to get my morning caffeine hit. I got to the front gate today thought and stopped dead in my tracks. There sitting on the fence post, a mere two feet from us, was the king of the kingfisher birds, an Australian Kookaburra.

I admired its courage, we were so close and it had not flown away. These are not tame birds, they typically shy clear from humans. The memory of this encounter will stick for a long time, it is so rare. I alerted my wife to the visit too, so she could come outside slowly and meet our friend and there the four of us stood, enjoying each other’s company for nearly five minutes.

Once it flew away, I went and got my coffee and reflected on the experience. I can’t believe I had to get within two feet of this bird before I realized it was there. Unbelievable, I am sure the kookaburra was watching me from the moment I stepped outside. Was I really that caught up in my own thoughts that I couldn’t see what was at the end of my nose?

One more step and surely I would have sent the kookaburra to flight. I would have missed this wonderful start to the day; it would simply have been sacrificed to inattention. What a terrible loss as these magical moments with nature are so rare. It was really a little bit of a wakeup call. Slow down and smell the roses. There is so much happening right now, yet we are all rushing to tomorrow, eyes so focused on the future we forget to enjoy the present.

My family hears kookaburras all the time; we live close to the bush right on a river. This is the first time though I have been visited by one of the flock, in such a fashion. The memory will stay with me for a long time though and the song of the kookaburra will have new meaning for me. “Slow down a bit Damian” it will sing “enjoy today and everything it brings”. A message perhaps many of us should heed.

Damian Papworth is a committed father. He recently went shopping for baby high chairs. He found the Fisher Price high chair range was very impressive.