The Art of Noticing

By Matt Stafford

Sweet Owen Contributor

I once heard a comedian joke that men approaching their 40s tend to choose one of two hobbies: diving deep into American war history or learning how to smoke meats. While I have mastered neither, at 37 I am fairly knowledgeable about U.S. military history and have occasionally smoked a rack of baby back ribs or a roll of breakfast sausage. What has recently made me feel far older than my years, however, is a steadily growing habit of silently watching birds in my backyard.

While finishing chores around the house one day la

st spring, I noticed a bird resembling a woodpecker hopping and pecking at the ground between the shrubs outside the large windows at the back of our home. We tend to overlook common robins, blue jays, doves and crows, but this bird stood out — not only because of its proximity to the window, but because of its striking patterns and color.

The bird was primarily tan, with a black patch on its chest and speckled black markings on its wings. Its most distinctive features were a bright red spot on the nape, resembling a heart, and a black bar extending from the beak, resembling a mustache. When it took flight, flashes of yellow appeared beneath its wings, along with a white patch on its tail.

A bit of research revealed the bird to be a northern flicker, the only member of the woodpecker family known to regularly feed on the ground. It has several common names, but my favorite is “yellowhammer.” You may recognize the name from Alabama’s nickname, “the Yellowhammer State.” As a Civil War history enthusiast, I am particularly fond of the nickname’s origin. According to tradition, Confederate veterans once mocked a group of newly arrived cavalry officers from Huntsville whose fresh gray uniforms featured bright yellow trim, comparing them to the bird. The name stuck.

There is no telling how many times I had seen this species before taking the time to truly observe it. I have since developed a habit of searching for yellowhammers whenever I notice birds pecking in the yard. That first moment of focused observation made me reflect on how often I have overlooked simple joys. It is amusing how something as small as a bird can profoundly change how we experience the world around us.

Instead of pouring a cup of coffee and rushing into the day, I now sip more slowly, waiting for the sun to break the horizon and cast hazy orange light through the picture windows. When I recall moments in my life when I have intentionally paused and taken in my surroundings, those are often the moments that offered the most beauty.

One such memory is a golden moonrise over the Gulf on a Florida beach. When the moon sits close to the horizon, it appears larger, and that night it felt close enough to pluck from the sky with an outstretched hand.

God has a way of offering these moments even when we fail to slow down and look for them. There have been times when I dreaded going to work only to be surprised by something extraordinary. Years ago, after an ice storm, I pulled off the road on my way to a night shift to photograph a scene many would have passed without notice. Snow can be inconvenient, and ice even more so, but together with a setting sun they created a copper-colored crystal landscape rarely seen.

More recently, as a space enthusiast, I had planned to watch a meteor shower but fell asleep instead. Waking early for work, I regretted missing it. Before getting into my vehicle, however, I paused for five minutes to look up. In that short time, I saw three meteors streak across the sky, followed by a brilliant green fireball just before I turned into the work parking lot. It felt like reassurance — as if God were saying, “You’re going to be all right.”

Psalm 46:10 remains my favorite Bible verse: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Many of the most joyful moments in my life have come from following that simple instruction. In our busy lives, I hope we occasionally allow ourselves to be still and appreciate the world around us. If you happen to notice a bird, witness a brilliant sunrise or catch a fleeting streak of light in the night sky, perhaps it is a gentle reminder to slow down. You’re going to be OK.