I was staying away recently and as I am a fairly early riser I decided to have an early breakfast. My plans were to have a good walk after I had eaten as the light was breaking through. As you can see from the picture it was still misty and the dampness in the air made it feel as if I was walking under a damp cloak. It was not cold so I set off enjoying the freshness and also the contended feeling of the hot coffee starting to perk up my energy level.
On this morning as I walked near the forest I was suddenly aware of a very deep guttural sound, almost like a roar of game on the plains of Africa. Very strange and very disconcerting. There it was again, coming from the trees not so far from where I was walking. I did not feel any threat but was minded of paying attention to what was around me….just in case. After a while I got used to the sound, worked out that is was coming from deeper into the forest than it had been, but still had not worked out what it was. Strange.
As I was getting closer to the building where I was staying I met one of the gardeners and we had a very cheery conversation. She was just staring work and upbeat for her day, so I asked what the sound was. Deer! It was the start of the rutting season so the stags were very territorial and vocal. We continued our conversation for a little longer and then went our separate ways.
As I headed back to get ready for the day ahead it struck me how just one word can offer the answer to a seemingly puzzle-some issue. How it can suddenly unlock our minds. Loosen the tension in the knot that our supposed intellect has been wrestling with. But how often do we wrap up a simple answer in a complex statement? I know I do far too often. If you listen to many a business leader or politician they are masters at it. How about you?
Now there is a difference between a blunt colourless one word answer – monotone; and the one word answer I was provided with, brought to life by the way it was offered with a beaming smile.
Like all good gardeners my early morning acquaintance had her secateurs at her side ready to prune anything that needed a green fingered trim. Perhaps I need to invest in some verbal secateurs to trim down some of my responses.
After a hearty breakfast, that was food for thought.
My best wishes,
Peter
