On one of my excursions to my woods, I found a feather. It was a beautiful feather and was rather huge. Filled with stripes, it had a quill that could easily have been made into a pen. At the time, I hadn’t seen that kind of feather before. I imagined it was a huge bird of prey like one of the Red-tailed Hawks that would circle high above calling out its kree. It filled me with mystery and excitement to think that maybe it had landed somewhere nearby.
I didn’t find any other sign of it that day, but I had a mission: keep my eyes peeled to the sky and on the ground for any clues. Occasionally I would find another feather, usually one a day or so. It was almost like whatever it was wanted to be found, so I searched. Then came the day when I picked up the last feather, I was done with clues, I was done with the mystery. I wanted to see this creature and holding aloft that final feather I confided to God I was going to find it that day.
It was weird because after I made that proclamation I found more feathers. I guessed or rather was lead somehow to a particular part of middle-aged and younger trees that had some space at their feet. At this point, or perhaps at the first description of the feather, I’m sure some of the hunters knew what it was. I had no clue, but I walked as quietly as I could. I felt the forest take on an eerie silence, the kind that happens before a cougar springs on its prey, so I froze. I stood still, but as my eyes slowly looked around me, the forest seemed to move. At first, I thought it was the trees like in a Tolkien book. Everything was still so quiet, and the movement wasn’t continual, more like it was taking steps and then it would stop. I didn’t breathe.
As I watched I saw movement again far ahead of me, my eyes strained to get a glimpse but I couldn’t make anything out. It still looked like trees moving, but only the trunks, and I heard a shuffle right behind me. I was so scared and so excited, and then like in the movie Harry and the Hendersons at the end when you finally see all the sasquatches, I saw them. Turkeys, dozens of them all around me. Some were only a few strides away, some were a few yards. It was like my stillness was a cue for them to resume searching the ground for food because they did as if I wasn’t even there. I stood still as a couple drew closer to me. They were close enough I could see their feathers, and sure enough, they matched the ones I had in my hand. It was beautiful. Finally, I had seen them and had the answers that I sought.
I couldn’t remain still any longer, so I began to move and walk toward the couple. They looked at me, turned, and started to walk away. I was surprised they were so calm. I was used to pheasants and deer freaking out at the first noise. So, of course, I pushed it a little and pursued them. They began to get faster, so I did too. Then it wasn’t just the ones in front of me that were moving, they all began to move and quickly. The silence was broken as the turkeys ran through the woods. Those running turkeys looked hilarious to me and I had some difficulty trying to keep up without tripping because of laughing. It seemed they knew where they were going because they all headed in the same direction. I followed too curious not to. Then I saw it, the open field. As soon as the turkeys broke free from the trees they were off in the craziest looking run/take off/flight I’d ever seen. Some tried taking off early and crashed through branches. I almost felt bad, but it was too much fun.
Thinking back on that experience, I can’t help but reflect on God and how He leads us sometimes with subtle hints. He likes to awaken our curiosity. Sometimes He even likes to lead us on wild turkey chases full of prophecy and revelation like during an in-depth Bible study. Though the Pope warns against curiosity, and with good reason, as an unhealthy direction and desire lead many not to find turkeys but lions seeking to devour them, I also find that God enjoys it when we are curious about Him. When our thoughts are so focused, distractions are powerless. When our eyes and ears strain to hear and see Him, everything else fades. When like those who searched for Jesus on the day of His birth, even the barrier of an obsessed king wasn’t enough to stop them.
“Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
Psalm 37:4
Enjoy God everyone! Breathe in the adventure He is leading you on. God be with you as you follow Christ, His son. And may His Spirit guide you into all truth for only He satisfies.