Jan 06, 2001EpiphanyBy definition, an epiphany is a manifestation, a showing forth, of the divine. In the parlance of the perceivers, it has come to mean the recognition, more than the showing. Not all that’s shown is seen, or, at least, not seen by all. Certainly that’s the case with the birds in the Park. No matter how hard I look, how many birds I see, there is invariably some unseen wonder noted in the Log Book, reminding me that there are people out there seeing more than I am. Seeing something different, anyway. I doubt that anyone else sees exactly what I do in the Park, but it’s evident that a lot of seeing gets done, well beyond what the average stroll-in-the-parker takes in. Still, I don’t think all the possible sights are exhausted. I’ve wondered if the birds keep a log of species that were in the Park, but went unseen. One wants to see everything, but in this World, contingencies are such that it just doesn’t work out that way. Which makes each fragment, every flitting bird, or briefly focused sunbeam, an epiphany of its own. The recognition that there’s something special going on here sanctifies our vision. Just as the Magi, with their arcane knowledge, saw more than a baby, we may learn to see, verified against the field guide of the heart, more than a bird.Happy Holidays, and now, back to Winter... |
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