Emergence of Life

While having coffee on my back porch this morning, everything sounded normal, or as usual, I should say. Until suddenly the forest began to hum with a new sound, and the humming grew in volume. It was like nature’s conductor, GOD, moved his baton down indicating the first beat, and the unified humming began. I felt privileged to witness this song.

A few days prior, I’d noticed the nymph cicadas on the porch in their molting process, then they morphed to the winged, red-eyed adults. And now we have their melody, a humming or buzzing which is produced by the males for mating. What makes this more fascinating (if you’re a nature geek like me), is that these are the Brood XIV, or Great Eastern Brood periodical cicadas that appear once every 17 years. They stay underground for that long time, then emerge. Hidden and quiet, nourished by sipping tree saps, they lay low until their time to arise and celebrate in a full-on spectacle of life. And the highest concentration of them is expected to be right here in Tennessee. How cool is that!

 

I took a walk to where I thought the concentration of sound was coming from, for more intensive listening, but realized my cicada ear-candy was closer to my own house. I felt special, lol. I’m sure the sound will increase and spread as more droves appear and add to the “cacophony” which is more of a mellifluous melody to me. This is just the beginning, but I was blessed to witness the initial start of this event from something last seen or heard in 2008.

 

I know people who find cicadas to be a nuisance, but they’re harmless and so good for the forest. Plus, their life-cycle symbolism is inspiring. I love it!

 

This week especially has hosted a variety of displays for cyclical life. I have birds building nests near where I feed them, which is fun to watch. In fact, a feisty gray Tufted Titmouse landed in my lap and boldly looked at my hair for consideration but then went over to the next chair and nabbed fur off my sleeping dog! I guess they like to line their nests with fur. Who wouldn’t! I don’t blame them. Then there’s an armadillo that has burrowed near the nearby creek. They’re an interesting mammal.

 

My neighbor sent me this picture of the big black bear I’d sensed was lurking around the previous few nights and who finally made an appearance that morning.

 

I could go on, for I enjoy this stuff. Mostly, because of what it means to have life and be living and breathing enough to appreciate the Giver of Life and all his creation. This season in the woods I live in seems to be bursting right now with newness, greenness of growth, healthy hunger, celebration, beauty, and promise. Each day presents something, some evidence of life. It’s intoxicating. And when the cycle tapers, such as with the 17-year cicadas, when their 4–6-week party comes to end… which is necessary for another beginning… where do we stand in the orchestra of life? Do we even have it, true life? Do we know our conductor? Have we met and accepted the orchestrator of our living and breathing? Yeshua came so that we might have life. We’re given a new beginning, we shed our nymph shells, grow wings, produce more life, then go back to the earth from where we came. There is beauty in each piece, each instrument, and we all have a part to play. Nature’s rhythm is so divine. Can you feel it? I hope you do. Mostly, I hope you know that with Yeshua, the Giver of Life, your existence continues. It goes on and on for eternity. To see, celebrate, and rejoice forevermore. Happy springtime.