Wake-Up Call
(image borrowed from Encyclopedia of Life)
As we wind down the Costa Rica stories, I need to share about the monkeys. In advance of arriving at our rental house in the jungle, we were told to bring ear plugs, assured that this would be the only way to get a good night's sleep. We brought them, and never used them once, because waking to the sound of howler monkeys is not a treat to be missed!
The rainforest that borders the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica is teeming with alien-like insects, flamboyant arachnids, an assortment of reptiles, avian delights from sophisticated hawks to flashy toucans, and mammals that include sloths (mentioned in April), margays and howler monkeys. We happily enjoyed nearly all of these beings while relaxing at our jungle residence.
We arrived at our getaway in the dark of night - from what we could see, which was precious little in the starlight - the jungle was asleep. At about 5:00 am, from our slumber in Playa Chiquita, we heard a barrage of noise - seemingly right behind our heads - nature's mix-master crossed a barking dog and mooing cow through a megaphone to create a deep throated roar. Beyond our bedroom window, the howler monkeys had awakened.
These are the second loudest creatures in the wild, allowing their voices to carry 2-3 miles. And this troop was definitely nearby, because moments later, the howls made a ring around our house - some quite a distance by the sound of it. Imagine being in the center of the wave at Fenway Park performed howler monkey style. This link takes you to the closest version I can locate of what it sounded like.
As each troop woke, they announced where they were in the world, staking out their territory and claiming the day as their own. With the setting of the sun, the same round-robin began again. One leader called out where he and his 15-20 monkey family would be staying for the night, followed by other leaders within earshot chiming in. It reminded me of the Waltons saying good-night to John Boy.
The craziest thing though - it truly did awaken me! Not just to the day (because I allowed myself a few more winks of sleep), but to my personal resonance with the jungle and the beings that reside there. If we've met, you may know I am NOT a "nature gal." To me, a screened porch is about as outside as I like it, unless seated at an outdoor bistro as someone serves me delicious eats. I don't do bugs - in fact, unless it's feline formed, I'm generally not that interested. But these monkeys!
With that first wake-up call, I became curious and open to what awaited me in this strange land. I tried without success to capture images of half-dollar sized spiders that spun golden webs and butterflies painted to look like black eyes in a sea of orange. One evening a grasshopper landed on my shirt, and stayed with me for two hours. Only when it crawled up to my neck and tickled me, did I encourage it to change its course - and then it leaped away.
In the midst of this rainforest, my creative juices spurt as though I'd just bitten a lemon. You know that feeling, when you bite into a lemon and there's that tingle in your jaw and your mouth is suddenly filled with saliva? That's how enlivened my creativity felt - and it came just that fast.
My netbook now has a list of "Ideas and Musings" that bubbled up during this hiatus from day-to-day life. My experience in the jungle awakened a sleepy, if not dormant, part of me that bursts with energy, when given the space to do so. Imagine, though, if I'd worn the earplugs!
We never know where our own wake-up call will come from. It may be in the form of illness, a good book, the death of a loved one, a change of scenery, a new coach, or a howler monkey. Whatever your next wake up call may be, pull out the earplugs and welcome it - embrace it - allow yourself to revel in the tingle of being awake!
If life is for learning and thriving, listen in for the howls that rouse you from your slumber. It's quite magical.
"Good-night John Boy," may you truly awaken tomorrow!
With love and curiosity,
Joanne Lutz