Gratitude and Kingfisher Sight
Also, a coupon code to save on signed Wilderking books for the swampers on your Christmas list.
Sarah Clarkson’s excellent new book, Reclaiming Quiet, begins with a story about looking for a kingfisher. Her friend Mark mentioned that he had seen kingfishers at a lake in her neighborhood. Sarah had never seen a kingfisher, but she devoutly wished to see one. So she pumped Mark for details. He told her where to look, but also, he added, “You have to be in a certain state of heart. And then you just see them.”
Sarah’s point is that quiet is the “certain state of heart” that makes it possible to see the marvels (such as kingfishers) that have been there all along. She could also have said that gratitude (closely related to quiet as she frames it) is that certain state of heart.
In an important sense, gratitude is backward-looking; the grateful person reflects on what has already happened and gives thanks. But just as importantly, gratitude makes us receptive to the marvels that surround us in the present. The “right frame of heart” doesn’t make kingfishers appear. It gives us eyes to see whatever kingfishers (or comparable wonders) are there already.
“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought,” wrote Chesterton, “and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” Yes and amen.
Happy Thanksgiving, dear readers. I’m thankful for you.
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If you love someone who is swampy at heart, you can make their Christmas by giving them their own signed copies of the Wilderking books. By "signed" I mean signed by me, the author. The nice people at the Rabbit Room have provided a coupon code for readers of the Habit Weekly. Use WILDERKING10 when you order from the Rabbit Room Store to save 10% on either the Wilderking Holiday Bundle or the individual books.
It’s an unusually quiet week in The Habit Membership…
Virtual Writing Rooms on Monday Tuesday, and Friday
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It’s a rare two-episode week on The Habit Podcast!
Bonus Episode: Willie Pearl is your new favorite band.
Willie Pearl is an Americana/Southern rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. Their new album is called Willie Pearl. In this special bonus episode, singer-songwriter (and my son) Henry Rogers of Willie Pearl speaks with me about songwriting, perfectionism, and letting go.
Leslie Eiler talks turkey.
Leslie Eiler Thompson is a podcast producer and writer. Her work has been featured on Apple Podcasts, The Guardian, Nashville Public Radio, Christianity Today, the Rabbit Room, and beyond. Her newest audio project, Niche to Meet You, is an investigative storytelling podcast about little-known niche interests and hobbies where we make and find meaning. One of the niche interests she has investigated is wild turkey conservation. Since it’s Thanksgiving Week in the United States, I thought it would be fun to talk to Leslie about turkeys, podcasting, and her creative process.
I am not sure how to connect these other sightings, but the film, The Blue Butterfly, and Alan Paton's "Phalarope" come to mind.