Sunday, December 6, 2009

The story of the yellow canary is a sad story for sure, but that is not the lesson of it.
Allowing myself the feeling of it, and all that it involved taught me much.
This little yellow bird was free. He didn't know it would be short lived.
He just flew! He had survival skills given to him by a God he did not worship or even knew existed. He hung around with "real" free birds. He became one of them. That winter was particulary bitter and ladden with snow. I am sure many "free" birds didn't make it. But they lived until they couldn't anymore. And this little yellow bird captured my heart. I eagerly sought him everyday. I worried about him. I cared for him. I prayed for him. He was only a bird...but he was a free bird for the rest of his life. I praise his summer of freedom. How better it was... than more years trapped in a caged...alone,with none of his kind. Now he was free.
Sure it broke my heart to see him huddled in the tree.It broke my heart to see the the mourning dove also and the purple finches. But it always breaks my heart to see how animals have to survive. That winter I didn't think my ferral cat,Handsome, would make it.
These things only make my heart bigger. My capacity for loving is only increased by my feelings of compassion for these helpless creatures. I did and do what I can and sometimes even more than I can.
How do I know that he, my little yellow bird, was not one of the least of these?
So suffering doesn't make me turn away, it makes me want to take action. Even if it is only to hit my knees.

Oh, and I always look for him in the garden...just in case.

5 comments:

  1. Dear Suz, What a wonderful recollection of a sweet bird.
    I like to think that he hooked up with some friends and has relocated to Cabo ;)
    We are all like this little feathered friend, whether we know it or not, we all live in cages.
    And your little Finn, a masterpeice.
    Congratulations.

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  2. Thank you Red, I too wish this for my little bird....I never found one yellow feather..and I looked
    Believe....this is the season
    The last time I saw him was Christmas Eve
    I don't live in a cage..I'm free
    Freedom is an inside job

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  3. Certainly a beautiful heartfelt story. I am glad you accompanied it with such endearing photos. I could see you submitting this to a bird or nature magazine or something. Because it transcends love of nature and envelopes universal love. These experiences in life do make our heart expand, feeling all feelings does too!
    I'm glad you shared this story, does it feel complete to you now? Or is there more?

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  4. Ha Ha..no, that's it
    I won't bore anyone anymore about my little lemon in the tree
    except to be free in spirit
    Yes, I am so glad you caught my thoughts about feeling the feelings,Bev

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  5. Such a lovely story. The photo is the sweetest.

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