It's funny how you can find time to stand around and just watch a flock of birds in awe for several minutes - unexpectedly.
I don't do it often these days, but it was Friday and there was a Starbucks right in front of me and the thought of Capuccino hit me, perhaps prompted by the aroma, so I stopped in and got one. It was dusk and I was finished a long day of work. As I got out of my car, I noticed a few birds hanging out on some wires - perhaps a couple hundred in a flock. When I came out, what a sight. Those hundred birds took flight for some reason and were joined by several other groups to make one giant flock of probably several thousand.
Starlings are not the most graceful bird ndividually, but when one starling is joined with thousands it is purely a majestic site. I continued to sip my capuccino and decided to purposely lean against my car and enjoy the show. This was not just any program, it was God-TV.
Unlike regular TV, God-TV turns on and off all on its own and it goes with you, whether you want it or not. Sometimes, God-TV turns on and you just pass by without even taking the time to watch. I had seen this same flock of birds several times at the same intersection of Masonic and Gratiot, and wanted to just marvel at them, but was always in too much of a hurry to watch. Tonite I had much to do, but this time, I was not going to ignore this show again.
As the birds flew in circles and the flock split several times then rejoined, I began to ponder why they were doing this. Why didn't they just land on the nearby sign? Or, couldn't they make up their mind as to where they wanted to park for the evening?
The answer soon came. Out of nowhere, I watched as a hawk or falcon darted head-on into the crowd of birds. As clear as daylight, these birds banded together to evade a predator - one rarely seen in the middle of suburbia.
I came home and googled "starling flock" using the "image" tab and found this photo, taken by Manual Presti of the very thing I witnessed.
After he made a bold attempt to capture the evasive little creatures, he left and from what I could tell, went home with an empty belly.
While the Lord does not typically charge us for such shows, there was one small price to pay. I knew it was a risk for me and my head as so many birds flew straight overhead, but I held my ground under fire. After several more long minutes, I decided to head home as the birds continued to fly in circles. Getting in the car I found the price-tag. It was white and outlined in hues of green and yellow and it was right smack in the middle of my windshield.
Well, it was worth it. God's TV programming is far suprior to anything seen on regular television sets. Sometimes we need to just stop and watch.