The Wind is the second book in our series. The other three are about the water, the earth and fire. We are working to have the entire series available very soon.
This is the Author's Note from The Wind:
Dear Reader,
The wind was introduced in our first book, “The Water Drop.” In that book the drop of water had listened to the wind for a long time. At one point during the drop’s journey through the water cycle, he wondered what it would be like to be “at one with the wind” and Mother Earth granted his wish. This journey of the water drop introduced the knowledge that the water and the wind on Earth are so intertwined that it would seem as one sometimes. It also introduced the notion of “listening to the wind.” In order to explain to everyone how ancient people on our planet “listened to the wind” throughout their day, I had to ask myself a question. If the wind is invisible, how do you know it is there? If I could answer this question, then I might be able to explain what it means to listen to the wind. Yet another question was posed to me by a wise elder when I first wrote “The Wind.” He asked, “How will you photograph the wind?” As I sat down with the words to this book and chose the pictures to convey the definition of the wind, I knew that my task could only be completed if I looked at the wind through the eyes of a child. I would also have to touch on the topic of faith. Faith is defined in the dictionary as a firm belief in something for which there is no proof. You can’t see the wind, yet you firmly believe that it is there. You have faith.
I sat down with the photographer, who happens to be my husband, to choose the nature pictures for this book. It became obvious to us that the wind is multifaceted. You need to use all of your senses in order to capture the essence of the wind. Since you can’t see the wind, you must discover all of the things that the wind touches in order to fully understand it. Water is carried in clouds and in fog and you must use your sense of sight to see which one the wind will carry that day. The smell of new green leaves in the forest and the intoxicating aroma of the Wisteria vine are both carried on the wind. You must use your sense of touch to feel snowflakes as they land on your cheeks when you try to catch one with your mouth. The wind also tells your ears if water is rushing down the river in a hurry or if it is slowing down to enjoy the scenery. We included photographs in the book of the instances of where the wind plays a part on the Earth. We also included a photograph of a tree that has a very special relationship with the wind. This sacred tree is called the Banyan Tree. The Banyan Tree starts as a seed that is dropped by a passing bird into a host tree. The seed will roll until it finds a place to rest among the branches. Once it finds a spot, it will start to send leaves upward and roots downward. The roots dangle in the air and are nourished by the water and nutrients in the wind alone. The roots go into the soil wherever they are blown. When they touch the Earth they create a firm trunk for the tree to stand on. The relationship between the wind, the water and the Earth is found in the growth of this tree. It is believed that Socrates may have sat under a Banyan Tree while he questioned people about faith and philosophy. He taught people how to “be still” and “listen.”
We are often told as children to “be still” and “listen,” but we are not told why we should be still and what to listen for. As adults we find ourselves no longer even heeding that advice that we learned as children. Our ancestors long ago knew the reasons for being still and why we should be listening. According to most of the ancient Native Americans, birds carried messages from you to the Creator and back again on the currents of the wind. In order to hear these messages, a person would need to be still and listen to what their heart is telling them. I was “listening to the wind” one morning outside when the hawk on the cover of this book landed on my fence about six feet away from me. Wild hawks generally soar very high in the sky in search of food. They don’t generally land near humans. My husband only had the chance to take one picture of it before it flew away. We knew instantly that the picture of that hawk must be on the cover of our book. It reminded us that the answers are indeed carried on the wind and found in your heart.
Be Still and Listen to the Wind,
Anna Berenyi
This is the Author's Note from The Wind:
Dear Reader,
The wind was introduced in our first book, “The Water Drop.” In that book the drop of water had listened to the wind for a long time. At one point during the drop’s journey through the water cycle, he wondered what it would be like to be “at one with the wind” and Mother Earth granted his wish. This journey of the water drop introduced the knowledge that the water and the wind on Earth are so intertwined that it would seem as one sometimes. It also introduced the notion of “listening to the wind.” In order to explain to everyone how ancient people on our planet “listened to the wind” throughout their day, I had to ask myself a question. If the wind is invisible, how do you know it is there? If I could answer this question, then I might be able to explain what it means to listen to the wind. Yet another question was posed to me by a wise elder when I first wrote “The Wind.” He asked, “How will you photograph the wind?” As I sat down with the words to this book and chose the pictures to convey the definition of the wind, I knew that my task could only be completed if I looked at the wind through the eyes of a child. I would also have to touch on the topic of faith. Faith is defined in the dictionary as a firm belief in something for which there is no proof. You can’t see the wind, yet you firmly believe that it is there. You have faith.
I sat down with the photographer, who happens to be my husband, to choose the nature pictures for this book. It became obvious to us that the wind is multifaceted. You need to use all of your senses in order to capture the essence of the wind. Since you can’t see the wind, you must discover all of the things that the wind touches in order to fully understand it. Water is carried in clouds and in fog and you must use your sense of sight to see which one the wind will carry that day. The smell of new green leaves in the forest and the intoxicating aroma of the Wisteria vine are both carried on the wind. You must use your sense of touch to feel snowflakes as they land on your cheeks when you try to catch one with your mouth. The wind also tells your ears if water is rushing down the river in a hurry or if it is slowing down to enjoy the scenery. We included photographs in the book of the instances of where the wind plays a part on the Earth. We also included a photograph of a tree that has a very special relationship with the wind. This sacred tree is called the Banyan Tree. The Banyan Tree starts as a seed that is dropped by a passing bird into a host tree. The seed will roll until it finds a place to rest among the branches. Once it finds a spot, it will start to send leaves upward and roots downward. The roots dangle in the air and are nourished by the water and nutrients in the wind alone. The roots go into the soil wherever they are blown. When they touch the Earth they create a firm trunk for the tree to stand on. The relationship between the wind, the water and the Earth is found in the growth of this tree. It is believed that Socrates may have sat under a Banyan Tree while he questioned people about faith and philosophy. He taught people how to “be still” and “listen.”
We are often told as children to “be still” and “listen,” but we are not told why we should be still and what to listen for. As adults we find ourselves no longer even heeding that advice that we learned as children. Our ancestors long ago knew the reasons for being still and why we should be listening. According to most of the ancient Native Americans, birds carried messages from you to the Creator and back again on the currents of the wind. In order to hear these messages, a person would need to be still and listen to what their heart is telling them. I was “listening to the wind” one morning outside when the hawk on the cover of this book landed on my fence about six feet away from me. Wild hawks generally soar very high in the sky in search of food. They don’t generally land near humans. My husband only had the chance to take one picture of it before it flew away. We knew instantly that the picture of that hawk must be on the cover of our book. It reminded us that the answers are indeed carried on the wind and found in your heart.
Be Still and Listen to the Wind,
Anna Berenyi
