Looking Out

To look out is a male trait that is derived from being a protector. If you observe two women standing on a bridge and conversing, they will always face each other, making constant eye contact. On the contrary, two men will always face the water and look out from the bridge. In rural areas,  a farmer and his dog may be seen on the porch in the evening looking out towards the road. They are actually watching for danger approaching but probably do not realize it until that bear walks up the driveway.

As I sit at my laptop I find myself peering over the screen and through the window of my office. Outside the view is of mostly red cedar trees and one small decorative deciduous tree from which hang bird feeders. There are no marauding tribes, or bandits and never any wild animals larger than myself except for one misplaced whitetail buck that wandered though searching for a female at 3 AM. I wanted to tell him that nothing good happens after midnight. There is, however, smaller fauna that have actually caused me to keep a pair of binoculars next to my chair. I often wonder who else even notices it.

My condo is on a parcel of land that is 30 feet or so above the Manasquan River in New Jersey. There are many tall trees, some of which are dead. It is not uncommon for a pair of bald eagles to perch in the limbs, along with several species of hawk. The small tree that stands alone outside my window is host to cardinals, goldfinches, warblers, chickadees and many other species of bird. There are also Blackhawk helicopters in the sky every so often, which must come from the nearby Earle Weapons Station and summer brings the banner planes that fly along the nearby beaches. I have also witnessed magnificent displays of forked, cloud to ground lightning in the distance and an occasional rainbow.Then there is that large pink cloth thing that landed on the top branch of an 80 foot tree during Sandy. I still do not know what it is but it is very big like an awning or sail.

Looking out is actually a healthy habit that gives my eyes a break from the computer and exercises the eye muscles by focusing in the distance. I often point out what I see to my wife who shows little interest if any. She will usually make a remark about how I must have stared out the window in grade school. I did a great deal. I was even looking out back then.