An answer to a question
When The Book of Birds was launched at the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford a member of the audience asked Robert a question that floored me for a while, and made me think hard for a few days. A paraphrase of this question is, “in the face of the destruction of habitat, the power of big chemical companies and their dominance in the market place, what is the use of this book?”
The question was very much directed at Robert, not at me, but reminded me so much of a question we had been asked at the beginning of The Lost Words, which was something like “this book is all very well, but don’t you think, in the face of climate change and the destruction of natural habitats, we need to be angry, out on the streets and marching…” My answer to this has been misquoted so often. My answer was, “This is the shape of my anger. I have tried to make it as beautiful as I can, because anger does not have to be ugly, or loud and sometimes if it is beautiful it can reach more hearts and minds. Protest can be beautiful.”
So, here we are, two weeks in to The Book of Birds fledging. And this is my answer to the woman’s question in the Sheldonian Theatre ( thank you so much for asking it. It was thought provoking and gave me a huge focus for a few days, not least because the sharp focal point of it is, ‘what is the use of you?’
Come and join us for a celebration of birds outside the seat of ‘democracy’, on 24th June, for a mass lobby of parliament.
As we worked on The Book of Birds we began to talk with the RSPB, and many of the team there were so encouraging, seeing the book as a tool to inspire people about the awe and the wonder of these amazing creatures we live among, and to bring them to the attention of those who don’t see birds.
Keep the date free if you can and join us, because together we are stronger. Let’s make a murmuration, a flock, to raise our voices against the thinning of the sky.
When we did the dawn chorus walk with Seven Fables, I read Rob’s words for Song in the twilight as the chorus of song grew. Stopping to simply listen I realised that I could not conceive of the silence of birds, should we fail to make a change. The sadness of this was utterly overwhelming. The greatest horror story.
I will add more to this post as soon as I can. Leave a comment to say if you can come, and who is your favourite voice, the one you would miss the most.
Jackie:
I don’t know the author of this story, and this is from memory (so any errors are of course mine) but the essence of it is this:
A lone philosopher sits upon a hilltop while a caravan slowly makes its way along the trail below him. Leaving the caravan, the merchant makes his way up the hill.
Reaching the top, he asks, “Why is it you sit up here all day and do not seek to gain fame and fortune as I do?”
“Would you say, then that anything that is not of immediate benefit to you is therefore of no purpose?”
“Yes.”
“Is it not true that as you walked up here, all you needed was the ground beneath your feet?”
“Yes.”
“So, if all the world was stripped away, leaving only pillars for your feet, that would be sufficient for your needs?”
“Yes…”
“Would you care to live in such a world?”
_____
Beauty is its own reason for Being. As Seth said, “A generation that hates war will not bring peace. A generation that loves peace will bring peace.” ~ from ‘Seth Speaks’
Hugs,
M&M
We are sadly unable to attend but will be with you in spirit. We would miss the cheery Blackbird song in the garden, and the joyful Skylark song when we’re out walking in late Spring / early Summer. We would also miss competing to see who hears Cuckoo first each year!
Just… Thank you
xxx
Hi Jackie,
Lovely to see your book at last.
If I can make it will certainly be there.
I love to see and hear and feed the birds in my garden.
Hope to see you soon
Thank you for this Jackie. I love your books – they are truly a part of my heart and I will have your new book as soon as it is available. I love your answer to the person’s rude and mindless question. Bless you and Robert for your beautiful work. I am too far away to attend your gathering, but my heart and soul are with you.
Oh yes! You are so right Jackie. You have met anger with beauty and love. Which is what David Attenborough also does. And coincidentally after seeing you and Robert at the Royal Geographical Society two weeks ago I walked round the corner to admire the Royal Albert Hall and discovered that they had been celebrating David Attenborough’s 100th birthday. Both you and he only one street away in the metropolis celebrating birds and all of the natural world. There is hope! The light is always stronger than the dark. And transformative of those feelings of anger and despair so many of us have. Thank you Jackie both for your divine creativity and for dwelling on this question until the answer blossomed
The Book of Birds brings me joy. Birds bring me joy. That is what they are for and they are both precious things that make my heart sing. Thank you Jackie and Robert.