Nature’s Distractions: A Desk With a View

It’s cold this morning here in Florida. Not freezing but cold. I am sitting at my desk, fingers pounding on the keyboard of my computer, attempting to focus on the work in front of me. But here’s the catch — my desk is strategically placed next to a rather large window that opens up to the outside world.

This choice wasn’t by accident; it was deliberate. One that now has me wondering if it was a good idea. The activity begins early as the Gray Kingbird takes center stage, the first to take my attention off my work. Then enters the warblers, like tiny acrobats, flitting from branch to branch.

The woodpecker joins in with her rhythmic drumming, providing a natural soundtrack to disrupt my concentration.

My own miniature carnival, and I am the privileged spectator. Definitely not on my to-do-list today. As I sit and watch, I consider closing the blinds to shield myself from the allure of nature’s spectacle. However, that idea will not shut off the sound of the chirping.

Can one truly be expected to concentrate when the outside world is a living, breathing masterpiece?

A dilemma, as the natural world beckons me to watch the productivity of its world and let mine go.

Then appears a pair of cardinals with their vibrant red plumage to bring a sense of harmony to the scene. I abandon my desk, grab my camera, and head to the porch to capture something, anything of these creatures demanding that I pay attention.

But, only one shot is allowed of the female cardinal as the other birds have fled to another tree in search of insects. Back to my desk and there they are again, outside my window for me to watch this wildlife documentary.

I decide that these creatures are not distractions, but reminders to appreciate, however small, joy in the interruptions that life throws my way.

The gift of a moment with nature is a moment of rejuvenation. And that, my friends, is worth capturing. No matter whether in memory or in a photograph.