When we were in Ho Chi Minh City, we visited Tao Dan Park a couple of times early in the morning. Amongst all the Vietnamese out doing Tai Chi and other forms of exercise, this park is famous for one cafe on the corner where "birdmen" bring their prized caged birds to learn to sing from other birds.
The birds are strategically placed on the railings to be close to other particularly vocal birds and far away from humans who interfere with their capacity to sing apparently. We discovered this after we got a little close to some of them and were briskly waved away by the owners. The birdmen can be quite protective of their songbird and seem to pay a lot of attention - providing morsels of food, moving them occasionally to a different spot, making sure no annoying foreigner gets too close and staring at their bird incessantly.
We discovered later the reason for the vigilance - some of these birds are apparently worth a lot of money. Birdsong competitions are held throughout Ho Chi Minh and owners of the most talented songbirds can rake in significant cash. This also explains the pride and self-gratification on the faces of the mostly older men as they showed off their prized possession to the rookies.
All in all, it was quite a unique and surreal experience to observe. The sound was beautiful as you can imagine but the dedication and care of the owners was the most fascinating.
It has made me reflect on the many times I too have been been brought to a place of learning and growth in specific skills or traits that I lacked. In His great wisdom my own dedicated Birdman has led me to those who could model for me what I could not learn by myself.
I think of a dear friend who taught me to stop and rest when I was 17 and overstressed; I think of my sister who's joy for life always reminds me to take life lightly and to find the wonder in the ordinary; I think of the faith that was built during my first missions experience after college due mostly to the bold faith of those around me; and I think of many dear friends including my husband who's qualities I admire and learn from every day. I'm so thankful for each of those songbirds that have brought beauty to my life and for the One who has hung my cage beside theirs for a season so I could absorb and soak up their song.
As the morning wound down in Tao Dan Park, most of the men decided their bird had had enough learning for today and gently covered the cages with a dark cloth, removing them from the courtyard.
It was time to take them home to rest . . . . maybe the bird needed some peace and quiet to absorb what he had just heard or maybe the owner just had to get to work for the day . . . . . but the beautiful chorus died down and the railings were emptied until another morning. I think I'm a bird who would prefer to hang with other birds all day, but I need that space too, to reflect on what I'm learning and to incorporate those new songs into my own life.
Where are you today? What are the birdsongs that you are learning? And do you see the Birdman gently leading you with just as much as you can handle for the day? Join me as I look for the songbirds around me today and thank God for them.
We discovered later the reason for the vigilance - some of these birds are apparently worth a lot of money. Birdsong competitions are held throughout Ho Chi Minh and owners of the most talented songbirds can rake in significant cash. This also explains the pride and self-gratification on the faces of the mostly older men as they showed off their prized possession to the rookies.
All in all, it was quite a unique and surreal experience to observe. The sound was beautiful as you can imagine but the dedication and care of the owners was the most fascinating.
It has made me reflect on the many times I too have been been brought to a place of learning and growth in specific skills or traits that I lacked. In His great wisdom my own dedicated Birdman has led me to those who could model for me what I could not learn by myself.
I think of a dear friend who taught me to stop and rest when I was 17 and overstressed; I think of my sister who's joy for life always reminds me to take life lightly and to find the wonder in the ordinary; I think of the faith that was built during my first missions experience after college due mostly to the bold faith of those around me; and I think of many dear friends including my husband who's qualities I admire and learn from every day. I'm so thankful for each of those songbirds that have brought beauty to my life and for the One who has hung my cage beside theirs for a season so I could absorb and soak up their song.
As the morning wound down in Tao Dan Park, most of the men decided their bird had had enough learning for today and gently covered the cages with a dark cloth, removing them from the courtyard.
It was time to take them home to rest . . . . maybe the bird needed some peace and quiet to absorb what he had just heard or maybe the owner just had to get to work for the day . . . . . but the beautiful chorus died down and the railings were emptied until another morning. I think I'm a bird who would prefer to hang with other birds all day, but I need that space too, to reflect on what I'm learning and to incorporate those new songs into my own life.
Where are you today? What are the birdsongs that you are learning? And do you see the Birdman gently leading you with just as much as you can handle for the day? Join me as I look for the songbirds around me today and thank God for them.
