麻豆约拍

Last week Clare read a news story that touched me as much as it did you, Zoe. It was about the regent honeyeater bird that鈥檚 lost its song. Once an abundant species, now just 300 remain, and with so few mates to learn from, the males are forgetting their own song and instead trying to mimic the songs of other birds鈥攍eaving the female honeyeaters confused and their numbers in decline.听

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A bird that鈥檚 lost its song. That feels like a parable to me. With Glastonbury cancelled, West End shut, and music venues empty across the country, we鈥檝e lost many a song this past year. And with all the anxiety and uncertainty of these upside-down times, some of us may have lost our own inner song too鈥攖he joy inside that helps us flourish.听

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Conservationists have come up with a clever plan to rescue the honeyeater鈥攕ing to them. More precisely, play recordings of other honeyeaters singing so they can relearn their heart song. As the males pick up the tune and attract the females again, it鈥檚 hoped the species will once again flourish. Here I see the parable expanding.

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The biblical prophet Zephaniah once spoke to a people in crisis. His words can make uncomfortable reading, thundering as they do with the kind of straight-talk a crisis requires. But that thunder starts to fade when he foresees people remembering God again, and what follows are, to me, some of the most touching words in print. Zephaniah says that this anxious, uncertain people will flourish again鈥攂ecause God himself will sing to them. And that melody he sings will calm their fears and restore their own songs of joy.

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Glastonbury will ultimately return. West End will re-open. And Radio 2 gives us songs to sing to all year round! But beyond singing the songs of others, I need my own inner song to flourish鈥攖he heart song of joy. If only there was a Voice to help me relearn it. Listen, Sheridan鈥擨 think I hear a melody.

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