JoJo -- Chicks dig me

Angeles Arrien tells a story about a mother and a little boy she saw walking in a rose garden one day. The little boy turned to his mother and said, “Mommy, you are as pretty as this flower.” His mother replied, “That’s nice honey. Why don’t you ever tell Mommy that you love her?”

Her intention was to illustrate that love comes at us all the time, but most of us can only hear it in a certain way.

I think love is us all the time, and we only notice it in certain ways. Sometimes I find myself expecting love in a certain way – reciprocation, gratitude, acknowledgement. Over time the world has reminded me that love is not tit for tat. It is not a bargain that you make with someone else. The world balances itself, taking a little here, giving a little there, not necessarily how you expect it, but always balanced.

There are many things that people can do through which I can feel their love for me, and there are certain ways the world moves that makes me notice the abiding love that we are. There are a couple of songs that always play on the radio just at the right time that soften and replenish me. And there are birds.

I haven’t decided if I think birds are more like a moment or a breath. I know they are a gift. A glimpse briefly given is always something that transforms my day. Like a certain someone whose presence always causes you to pause and pay attention, birds to me are the world giving me a sensuous, unexpected kiss.

The world gives me many kisses – I am so lucky to have a yard filled with a variety of birds that visit, show off for a few minutes and leave. The biggest variety of birds I have ever seen is in my yard.

Among them is a goldfinch. Though they are common, I have never seen a goldfinch up close until today. This afternoon he visited outside the kitchen window for a few minutes before flying off. I turned to Spot for a hug because I was so happy to have finally seen one up close. But that wasn’t the end.

I’ve been overwhelmed with stress for the last three weeks from a project at work that I have finally wrapped up. When I am stressed, I like to take a bath to calm myself. As I was sitting in the bath, I heard a tapping at the bathroom window. The little goldfinch had perched himself at the window and was alternating between watching me and tapping on the window.

At first I thought he was just tapping at his reflection, but when my dog came in to get attention, he straightened up and cocked his head, clearly taking stock of what was going on. The bird and I sat together keeping each other company for about 45 minutes until I got out of the bath. After about 20 minutes, when it was clear that he knew I was there and didn’t mind me, I began to practice singing and sang him several songs. He chirped a little too. Today I feel very loved.