I try as many days of the week as possible to begin my day outside. Having a dog in my life really helps me make this happen. That and knowing that I’ll be spending long hours at my desk, writing and responding to emails, working on various projects, meeting with team members, doing research, surfing the tsunami of daily news, all mediated through my laptop and various computer monitors, large and small.
Early mornings this past month have been overcast. The summer heat inland pulls the cool ocean air through the Golden Gate and across the Bay to Berkeley. I am grateful for the cool morning air, and hyper-aware that to the north of me the largest wildfire in California history still burns.
Yesterday afternoon, I found myself taking in one too many random media experiences…and somehow managed to notice that I was seriously adrift in the digital world. I stood up from my desk and walked outside and up some stairs to “see if the mail had come.” As I stepped outside, I was struck by the air temperature on my skin, and the late afternoon light. Indeed, the mail had been dropped in the box—a few boring items that included a catalog of housewares, something I would not normally read. I found myself sitting down on the steps, opening the catalog, and paging through. It had nothing to do with the catalog. I wanted to breathe the air and feel the light on my shoulders.
You may recall the REI report, The Path Ahead. I have written about it several times, and will continue to do so. (If you haven’t read it yet, do set some time aside to read it.) You may also recall this statistic from research cited in the report:
The average American spends 95 percent of their life indoors.
—from The Path Ahead: the future of life outdoors
As I write this post—early evening—I hear the Steller’s Jay announcing his presence out my window. He’s a regular. I know he sees me pouring fresh water into the hanging birdbath every day. Does he know he’s starring in this week’s Mindful Digital Life post? Probably not. Regular readers of my posts know that he takes center stage here from time to time.
I jumped up a few minutes ago and took this photo of him with my iPhone camera on zoom. I love to watch him drink. I appreciate the way he tips his head back to swallow. He repeats the cycle—drink, tip, drink, tip—three or four times, and then flies off. On hot days, he climbs in and fluffs up his wings. I never tire of his visits, or of the visits by the other jays that show up. It’s always new, always a moment of grace and delight—this relationship we have through water.
I’ve often referred to birdsong as medicine. Hearing the call of a Red-winged Blackbird does something immediate and positive to my entire nervous system. I don’t hear them that often because I don’t live near or visit Red-winged Blackbird habitat these days. I do hear jays, mourning doves, chickadees, juncos, hummingbirds, hawks, and turkey sounds.
I subscribe to the podcast program, BirdNote. The About page describes their mission: The stories we tell are rich in sound, imagery, and information, connecting the ways and needs of birds to the lives of listeners. Here’s an excerpt from the most recent program’s transcript:
In a children’s hospital in Liverpool, England, the sweet sounds of birdsong carry along the hallways. It’s a recording of the dawn chorus from a nearby park, and the intent is to calm the anxious young patients.
This hospital is one of a number of places in Europe where birdsong recordings are used to foster an uplifting and therapeutic experience. Research does show that natural sounds can help relieve stress.
Where some noises—like TV, traffic, and random conversations—make it hard to concentrate, the songs of birds may make it easier. One expert thinks that birdsong relaxes people physically while stimulating them cognitively—the body relaxes while the mind becomes alert.
Listen to the podcast. It is one minute and 37 seconds long. (You have time.) While you’re at it, subscribe to BirdNote. (And if you’re not already familiar with the CornellLab of Ornithology’s All About Birds online guide—source of the Red-Wing Blackbird call in the link above—spend a little time exploring there this week. If you’re really up for adventure, check out their live Osprey Cam in Missoula, Montana.)
I love that in my inside-life-leaning-towards-outside-species, recordings of birdsong online help me relax and sharpen my mind. There’s something extraordinarily ironic about that. But I am workin’ it.
Sometimes, we need to bring the outdoors inside…
What I’m reading: I liked this down-to-earth piece by Mimi Ito sharing conversations with several parents about life with technology. Not the usual angles. I recommend giving it a read: “How to Shed Distracted Parenting Guilt and Transform into a Digital Hero.”
What are you reading and/or listening to? I’d love to hear from you. You can use the form here to let me know.
