thank you, Sufjan

There is this song, that's been hovering, haunting me. It creeps, unexpectedly, into my thoughtstream, plops itself down and starts a merry little picnic. After being held captive by this lilting lyrical twang, i began to wonder about its origins. No name, and -dangit - i forget to ask Ariella AGAIN what is the name of that one?

This morning, i got a late start. I got up later than intended, but still managed to squeeze in a half hour of birding before my rowing practice. The air was thick with mist, and it was warmer than it has been in days past. The mist feels like it hangs low, creeping around - similar effect to the song? Anyway, there are a good number of birds in this woodlot. A new place. I bike by it three times a week, and have always wanted to check it out. As i cast my gaze and adjust to "bird-vision" (scanning, looking for movement in the trees and brush) i catch a critter hopping around on a tree trunk nearby. Hmm - its big, hops, doesn't run or fly to move around. Then a flash of black-and-white; as i raise my binoculars, my suspicion is confirmed: its a woodpecker. This is the excitement of birding. Seeing something unusual, interesting, beautiful. I'll chalk that up to a good day: seeing a woodpecker.

Back at home, Ariella sends me a message. I finally remember to ask her about the song, and she sends me the link to the story of how it was made. Its about the discovery of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, and how that event could transform a small town in Arkansas. Its interesting, because the discovery that could energize this small town in rural America also has caused a flurry of discussion in ecology. Its buzzing around school: they've found this species that was thought to have been extinct! Ten million USDollars were allocated to study it! And then it turns out its not really the Ivory-Billed! No, it turns out that we don't KNOW which species it is. See? We can't make claims a species has gone extinct! The standard is 50 years, and that mark was passed! We can't say anything about it with much certainty...

Suddenly all worlds merge and become synchronized. I'm studying extinction (causes and examples), this song has been playing a loop in my thoughts, i see a woodpecker in waking life. Life imitates art? Art imitates life? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder? We are in the 6th mass extinction? The sum total effect of our actions is real but ultimately unknown? At this point, all i can recommend is that you show up. Bear witness. Understand what is necessary, and move toward that. Share insight with others. As, thankfully, musician Sufjan Stevens has shared with me via some strange, circuitous medium in the universe.