Birds Paradise

In Xinhui of South China Guangdong province there is a scenic site called ‘Birds Paradise‘ where hundreds of thousands of birds flock throughout the year. I have found a picture from the Internet which you can see on the left.

It was awe inspiring for an urban dweller like me twelve years ago when I visited that place. It gives you peace of mind in the midst of hustling and bustling city life. Now living in New Zealand, surroundings like the ‘Birds Paradise’ in Xinhui is everywhere. I remind myself everyday how lucky I am to be so close to nature.

When I lived in Wellington, there was a tree I walked past every evening on the way to my car park. It was not an ordinary tree. At that time of the day it always had hundreds of birds singing at the same time. I always enjoyed that mesmerising moment while I could just switch off from my congested mind and listen to the beautiful music from nature. Strangely every time I walked past that tree, somehow it reminded me of the ‘Birds Paradise’ in Xinhui.

Oh it just gets better. Now I get to walk to work everyday. The 15 minutes walk is the best therapy for me. Believe it or not I actually get to choose three or four different routes. There are two residential streets which have become my favourite streets. You must have guessed it by now why I love these two streets. These two streets are another Birds Paradise. The singing from birds doesn’t just come from one tree, but from different directions and distances. If you listen attentively, you will notice the different pitch, tone and rhythm which forms a perfect melody. It is better than any music created by mankind.

There is a special tree also in front of my office building which is the habitat for hundreds of birds. The moment I walk out of the office in the evening, I am reminded by these happy birds what a wonderful and free life I have.

Maybe I am a bird. This life is, already, a paradise.