Oxygen Blast

It's 3am. I hear the birds. What is up with them singing and tweeting in the middle of the night? This happens every Spring. I look so forward to the warm weather and long days. But I dread the birds waking me up before the crack of dawn.

While reading Radical Remission by Kelly Turner, one passage details a Japanese man who had stage 4 liver cancer and growths on his lungs. As part of his healing process, he began waking up very early to witness the sun rising everyday. The birds always managed to beat him and were already up singing. Each day he woke up earlier until he finally was able to beat the birds. He discovered that the birds began singing exactly 42 minutes before trees release their oxygen, beginning the process of photosynthesis. This early release of oxygen he realized helped fuel the birds' singing blitz. He did further tests with his pet birds, by releasing oxygen into their cages. The birds would immediately begin singing and slowly wind down.

So, now this makes me wonder if it's the birds that are waking me up or if it's a fresh blast of oxygen from the trees in nearby Riverside Park. Next time it happens, I'd like to throw on some clothes, walk outside and breathe in the truly fresh air.