Hubby had some work presentations and other things he needed to do for work after dinner last night. So while hubby was doing his work things, I occupied at the dining room table scrolling through funny otter memes on Substack.
The time got away from me, and it got dark outside. I always bring the hummingbird feeders in before it gets dark each night. But I was distracted and didn’t realize it was dark already.
A strange sound caught my attention. That sounds like the hummingbird feeder. I glanced up and looked over to where the hummingbird feeder hangs outside. (we don’t have blinds or window coverings so you can see straight out)
That’s funny … I couldn’t really see it. Usually the dining room lights are so bright they shine through the window enough to see the hummingbird feeder, even in the dark.
Something was definitely going at the hummingbird feeder … I could hear the feeder swaying around.
I walked right over to the widow and stared hard out at it … but the only thing I could see was a light-colored object flapping away. Did a squirrel come down off the roof and is a squirrel hanging onto the feeder drinking out of it??
I turned on the back floodlights … and …
Whoa!
That light-colored object flapping away was the bear’s tongue busily lapping up the sugary goodness from the feeder! (Notice his strategy of tipping the feeder slightly to pour out the goodness into his mouth. Clever!)
What was so astonishing is that the dining room lights were on and I had been sitting right there at the dining room table that whole time when the bear had walked right up, climbed up on top of the woodbox, and began guzzling the feeder.
Not only that, when we did realize the bear was guzzling the feeder, both hubby and I were standing right there at the window – only a couple feet away – directly in front of the bear – and this did not phase the bear at all. He kept right on gobbling the goodness! Granted we might have made a more intimidating presence if we had shouted and banged pots & pans together rather than gawking and taking photos! (Haha!)
It had been several months since the bear last raided the hummingbird feeders. For several months now I have been faithfully bringing the feeders inside every night. And to be honest, it’s a hassle.
Sometimes, just like last night, time gets away from me and it’s hard to remember to bring them inside before it gets dark.
Throughout the past several months I have often wondered: “Does this even matter??”
It is such a hassle every night. Does it even matter??
I never see the bear. For all these years we’ve lived in our home in the forest, we’ve only ever seen the bear a total of maybe 2 or 3 times. So, night after night after night of bringing the feeders inside – does it even matter?? Is it really necessary?? Is it even worth all the hassle??
Last night confirmed loud and clear: Yes! Yes it matters!
Yes, the bear has indeed been wandering about checking to see if the feeders are out. Even if I have not seen a thing … the bear has been watching.
When it comes to life itself … oftentimes it’s easy to wonder: “Does this even matter??”
That thing we are doing with our life that we think matters and is making a difference. Sometimes we get really discouraged and we question ourselves. We question if what we are doing even matters.
Yes! It does matter! It is making a difference!
Just like bringing the hummingbird feeders inside every night has been a hassle and is a lot of effort, with no obvious indication that it even matters … so also, when it comes to life itself there are things we are doing which are a hassle, they are a lot of effort, and there is no obvious indication that it is accomplishing anything at all.
Hang in there! Keep doing that thing you have been called to do.
It does matter! Even if we can’t see any evidence. It is making a difference!
