Is it Wind or Monkeys?

 

Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may be spread everywhere. 

Song of Songs 4:16a (NIVUK)

I live at the moment in a small and simple space on the edge of the Rift Valley in East Africa. The first thing I did when I arrived was drag the wooden desk to a window, where I spend most of my days writing and watching monkeys. I counted 21 last week. I know they are near when the trees in front of my window start moving in every direction. The branches bounce and shake, the fluffy black-and-white tails of the Colobus monkeys making them look like gigantic skunks as they swing from limb to limb, while their friends, the Sykes, leap from our roof to the loquat tree for a tasty treat. In the meantime, naughty Vervet monkeys eye me, looking for a way to sneak in and steal food and toilet paper rolls.

Birdwatchinghq.com warns:

Keep your food hidden! Vervet Monkeys are bold and frequently steal food from households. These cheeky monkeys live in Kenya in woodlands, savannahs, and mountainous regions. Their behavior is incredibly similar to humans, with some individuals showing traits such as anxiety and alcoholism.

This area is also known for strong winds. I’ve become so alert to monkey misbehavior that when I see the trees moving, the question automatically pops into my mind:

Is it wind or monkeys?

Do I need to batten down the hatches and keep the cute pests out, or shall I step outside and be refreshed by the cool breezes rolling up from the valley below?

As I shrewdly eyed the swaying acacia outside the kitchen window today, I thought how much the wind and monkeys mirror my interior landscape. Some days, my thoughts bounce like Vervets, prone to anxiety, looking to steal my joy. Other days, the wind of God blows upon the garden of my soul with a beautiful disorder that is both refreshing and a bit disorienting.

I can choose to close the door on the monkeys.

But the wind is glorious. Moved by an unseen hand, it accomplishes God’s purposes in the exquisite gardenscape I call my temporary home. The fragrant mingle of wild eucalyptus, rosemary, mint, frangipani, and lavender breathes healing to all within their reach.

It is good to #notice the source of movement in my soul. Is it simply my unruly thoughts bouncing around or is it the Holy Spirit interrupting my day with an invitation to come and see? #spiritualformation Share on X

Is it wind, or is it monkeys? When I pay attention, I can tell the difference and respond accordingly. Today, the Wind is blowing. No monkeys in sight, yet.

Lord, I’m paying attention to You. Help me stay alert to the monkeys who would wreak havoc on my peace and grant me grace to surrender to Your wind when it blows on the garden of my soul. Amen.

@audreycfrank