THIS BEAUTIFUL photograph is of a chickadee
THIS BEAUTIFUL photograph is of a chickadee, of course. The small print, on canvas, hangs on the log wall just above my bed, and is pretty much the first thing I see most days. Which is good, because it reminds me of important things. It is a winter scene, and if you look very closely, you can see the tiny, frosty cloud of breath from the little bird, trailing off to the right.
The important things he reminds me of? That we all share the same breath, all creatures great and small. The same Earth, the same waters and forests, the same world. That even small beings can be brave, and tough and inspirational. That each has its own dignity. That every morning you get up and breathe your breath and sing your song, and add a little something to the world. That sometimes the world is cold and life is hard. But you breathe and sing anyway. With good cheer, and all the optimism you can muster. That sometimes other birds, and people, need to hear it. To hear you. And to see you—in your bravery and acceptance of every hardship. In your simple breathing, and in the beauty of your being.
Each day I go out and feed the chickadees, and talk to them. And they talk to me. Always. And at the end of every morning’s conversation, I say the same two words. “Thank you.”
(Photo by Heidi Pinkerton).