“There is symbolic
as well as actual beauty
in the migration of the birds,
the ebb and flow of the tides,
the folded bud ready for the spring.
There is something infinitely healing
in the repeated refrains of nature
- the assurance that dawn comes after night,
and spring after the winter.”
-Rachel Carson
Yesterday, while out to enjoy a change of scenery and to appreciate nature, my husband and I spotted a pair of sandhill cranes with the tiniest baby
cranes we've ever seen.
The adorable, fuzzy little birds looked vulnerable, yet playful too, sticking close to each other, and ready to learn what they need to know, as they scurried around their parents. When we stopped to take a picture, the babies huddled between their parents while the adult cranes squawked warnings to us to keep our distance. I imagine they issued guidance to their little ones too.
Respecting their need for safety and likely feelings of alarm, we quickly moved on after snapping a photo. I'm feeling at a loss for the words to describe the beauty of the brief respectful encounter we had with them.
I just
want to leave you with encouragement to be open to encounters that stir the wonder, joy, love, and hope within you.
Since the photo we took had a background that detracted from their beauty of the birds, I used that photo to paint a depiction of what I
saw. (The actual photo appears below.)
Although this scene shows how the mama and papa birds protected their young ones, I plan to use it as a reminder to notice, praise, and give thanks for the beauty and wonder all around me, around each of us, every
day.
With reverence and joy,
Charlene
THE NINTH GIFT IS REVERENCE.
May you appreciate the wonder that you are
and the
miracle of all creation.
- from The Twelve Gifts of Birth
