an audience of one

have you ever had one of those moments when you are all alone, and you see something that truly fascinates you... and you know that you're the only person in the world who saw that event? it's as if that single event was performed just for you. well maybe this has happened to you and you've never noticed, or never cared, or never appreciated it before. i went for a little walk by myself on a weekend away this past weekend. I walked up the river and came to a spot where no one else could possibly be. And then i saw them.... the rainbow trout... jumping upstream to spawn, i suppose. yeah, i know they were doing what they do every year, and they would be doing it even if i wasn't watching... but part of me wants to believe they were putting on a show for me, their audience of one. it's kind of a selfish way of looking at the world...

as i walked through the trees, i tried to walk so softly so as not to disturb the birds and the other small animals that were scurrying around. i saw the bluejays hopping from tree to tree high above me, shrieking warnings to each other about the intruder. and i thought 'i shouldn't disturb nature'. but then i thought... why can't i be a part of nature, rather than a disturbance to it? when did we go from being a part of nature to being a disturbance to it?

the old once-ler still lives there... ask him... he knows.