I have a set of nature-music CD’s which I really like. They are part of a “National Parks Series” and each CD features piano/instrumental music, combined with background nature sounds from the respective National Parks: the call of Roosevelt Elk (from Olympic National Park), the song of Orca whales (from Alaska), thundering waterfalls (from Yellowstone National Park), waves crashing against the seashore (from Acadia National Park), etc.
I was enjoying my National Parks nature-music CD’s the other day, when the brilliant thought occurred to me that the pet fish might enjoy the nature music too! Afterall, the sound of bubbling brooks, rushing waterfalls, the chorus of frogs, the patter of rain … that might make the fish feel like it was out in nature again. I bet the fish would really like that!
So, I toted the wireless speaker upstairs to where the fish could enjoy listening to the nature-music too. I was sure the fish would really like it … I was sure the fish would feel just as if it was back out in nature again.
But after only a few minutes I became acutely aware of how much birdsong was in the nature-music. I had never really noticed that before. But come to think of it, there was a lot of birdsong!
I couldn’t help but wonder if all that birdsong might be making the fish nervous. What if the fish was hearing all that birdsong and feeling like it was unsafe?
Could the fish recognize the calls of the birds as being predators which might eat it??
I began to worry. What if the nature-music was causing the poor fish undue anxiety and fear? I would hate to be the cause of anxiety for the fish. Perhaps the nature-music might not have been the best idea after all.
Can fish hear? I have no idea.
(I just now looked it up, and according to Google, yes they can!)
Do the songbirds on the nature CD’s even eat fish? I have no idea.
Would a fish recognize the call of a bird as being a threat? I have no idea.
But it did get me thinking about fears … and how oftentimes it is so easy for us to perceive something as being fearful, when in actuality there isn’t anything at all to be fearful of.
Just like the fish might have been fearful of bird predators … when in actuality the fish was perfectly safe in it’s tank in my house … so also, we too might become overwhelmed by fears which don’t actually exist.
“Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.
From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart is overwhelmed;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.
I long to dwell in Your presence forever
and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.”
– Psalm 61:1-4
