Chirpy and the Hallelujah Chorus
Our little bird friend, Sweetie had two babies. She named them Slurpy and Chirpy. Slurpy was totally about eating. Chirpy loved to chirp.
When these babies were tiny and just developing their feathers, they chirped because they were hungry, cold, or because they wanted Mom or Dad to snuggle them. Once Chirpy became a little older, he noticed that birds chirped for other reasons. He started questioning his mom about it.
“Why are those birds singing? Why does that bird sing that song while that other bird sings a different song? Why is some bird song pretty and other times it sounds harsh or ugly?”
His mom patiently answered his questions, ” That bird is singing because it is happy. That other bird is singing to get that girl bird’s attention. Each type of bird sings it’s own song. Birds have different types of songs for different reasons. Sometimes they sing pretty songs, and sometimes they send warnings or scoldings which sounds harsh.”
Chirpy kept observing, questioning and learning until one morning he made a big discovery. He woke up really early–even before the sun was up. As the sun’s rays warmed the morning air, he heard the first bird start a lone song. Then others began to sing also until there was a symphony of song. Even his mother and dad were singing along. They sang with all their heart in a way Chirpy had never heard before.
When the chorus of song faded to silence, Chirpy asked his parents, “What was that beautiful music and how come I never heard it before?”
“That was the Hallelujah Chorus. You have been asleep every morning before this, just like Slurpy is now,” Chirpy’s dad answered.
“Wow, that was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. How does each bird know what to sing, when to sing, and when to stop?”
“Chirpy,” his dad answered, “I want you to listen to your heart and try to hear the answers to those questions. Those answers are there inside of you. What is your heart telling you right now about this bird orchestra?”
“It tells me that I want to be part of this. It tells me that I want to lead it.”
“Listen a little harder, Chirpy. I think you will hear much more that that,” said his dad.
Chirpy was so eager to be part of this chorus and to lead this chorus that he was up the next morning long before the sun peeked over the horizon. He wanted to be the first bird singing.
So he started, “Chirp, chirp, chirp,” he sang. Silence echoed after his first attempt.
Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, CHIRP, CHIRP, CHIRP!” Chirpy got louder and more insistent.
“Chirpy, what are you doing?” his mom asked grumpily.
“I am leading the Hallelujah Chorus,” exclaimed Chirpy happily.
“Son,” his dad said, gently drawing him under his wing, “That is not the way it is done. You must listen to the chorus director. ”
“The chorus director? Who is that? “
“You know Him, Chirpy. He made you. He speaks to you in your heart. You just have to listen.”
The next morning, Chirpy woke up again very early. But instead of chirping, he listened and listened and listened. He listened when the chorus started and all the way through the end. He listened for the chorus master to speak to him. He never heard it.
“What happened Mom? I did not hear him tell me when to sing?”
“Chirpy, you have to listen with the ears of your heart. It won’t be loud, it will just be a little nudge or a whisper that you hear inside of you.”
The next morning Chirpy listened again. He thought he felt a little nudge inside his heart to start singing in the middle of all the bird song so he sang his heart out. But he was disappointed because he wanted to start all the birds in their singing.
Many days followed with Chirpy joining in the middle of the music as the little whisper in his heart told him. But he was still confused. ”Mom, why do we all sing like this in the morning?”
“Oh, son, I thought you knew. We sing to glorify the Director. He is our creator and we want to worship him in the first moments of our day. We sing to tell all the world how wonderful he is.”
The next morning, Chirpy woke up extra early. He felt excitement welling up inside. Something special was going to happen, he knew it. He waited in the quiet and dark and listened to his creator. Suddenly in the silence, he heard that wonderful whisper in his heart. ”Sing, Chirpy. Sing with everything you have.”
So, Chirpy did. With all the joy that rose up inside, Chirpy made music and started the chorus of birdsong. It was the desire of his heart and he knew that it was a morning he would never forget. It was the morning that he started the Hallelujah Chorus.
