Hearing and Remembering

When I heard them today, it brought an awareness of not having heard them in a long time.  I had gone so long without hearing them, I forgot I had not been hearing them.  I suppose it had become my new normal and I never realized it.  What I heard today, but had not heard in a long time was a v-shaped flock of Canadian geese soaring overhead.  When I am most likely to notice them is in the evening as I go about the farm tending to what I have come to know as evening chores.  They are often overhead honking and calling for attention from those of us who walk instead of fly. 

 

But, today I realized I had not been hearing them.  I am not sure when it happened.  But, it happened and suddenly not hearing became the new normal for me on my evening walks and I just never noticed it happening.  Maybe the geese are returning from their visit up north.  Maybe they were doing a flyover on their way further south.  Maybe, just maybe, cooler weather is coming.  I am not sure about all of this, but what I am sure is that the moment made me think about how easy it is to come to a place of not hearing the voice of God anymore and not realizing it is no longer being heard.

 

I wonder.  It has happened numerous times in my life.  More times than I want to confess.  There are those days and times when I am so very conscious of divine presence and am mindful of a Voice speaking words not heard with ears but by the heart.  But, there have also been those times when I walked without any awareness that the Presence was gone and the Voice was silent.  Perhaps, it is not an experience peculiar to me alone.  Today I was grateful for the familiar sounds of honking geese overhead and the reminder that the Voice I have ceased to hear is going to speak again and this time I will hear it with gladness that He has not given up on me.