This is lovely, Jeannie. While reading, I found myself thinking about my favorite nature tome (besides Walden), The Outermost House by Henry Beston. He spent a whole year observing nature, mostly birds, from a small shack on the Cape Cod National Seashore. Think your family could spare you for a year? 🤣
Thank u, Jeannie! What a wonderful way God has of teaching us life’s lessons, with two small birds. But we have to be watching for those lessons, those very special moments to learn something huge from something quite small. Thank u for observing, watching for that new lesson He provided for u and sharing it with us. I was touched by your story, God bless u❣️🍒
I agree, Nancy. I have always felt a strong connection to the natural world, since childhood. To me, nature speaks its own wisdom--I am merely the listener and the one who communicates that wisdom.
“They’re so beautiful!” I said, and my mom quickly cautioned me with, “They’re also dangerous. They’ll rip you apart if you get too close.” This stopped me in my tracks.
Isn’t that gripping, Stephanie? It’s a sliver of how I was raised—my beautiful mother’s pathology (she has OCD and depression) slanted her worldview and instilled a great amount of fear in me. Fear pretty much ruled my life until Sarah was born.
"Maybe humans, in our aging and aching bodies, learn the lesson of slowing down because we must. But maybe the juncos know better than we, that nothing in our day is worth haste and hurry."
This line, Jeannie, is particularly striking. It suggests that wisdom isn't necessarily something we gain with age, but something that might be inherent in the natural world. It's almost humbling to think that these tiny birds might have a deeper understanding of life's pace than we do. It's a reminder that sometimes, the greatest teachers are not the ones with the loudest voices, but the ones who live quietly and observe patiently. Your words here are a gentle invitation to reconsider our priorities and to find value in the unhurried moments.
Oh, so true, Alex! Nature carries so much inherent wisdom, I believe. I learn so much by sitting quietly and observing its movements or stillness. Over the weekend, a pair of mourning doves stopped at my bird feeder, and I watched them as they ate the bird seed. Thirty minutes later, one of them had fallen asleep at the base of the feeder! Just resting peacefully—no hurry, no haste. Thirty minutes after that (so an hour after my initial observation), both doves remained. They just didn’t seem to have anywhere urgent to rush off to, and that always tells me something about myself and about life in general.
Awwww. What a precious moment, and what a haven a safety you have created for them to feel so secure. 🩵 Thank you for sharing that with me. That brought such a big smile to my face!
I admit I never heard of juncos, but seeing the picture of one, I can tell they are lovely. Nature is brutal, it's true, but wild animals have also shown great tenderness. I really enjoyed this reflective essay; it's also a reminder to slow down and appreciate the grandeur of life.
Thanks, Beth. Guess what? I didn't know what kind of birds they were, either, so I looked them up in my handy bird guide! That's how I discovered they were slate grey dark-eyed juncos (because apparently, there are other kinds of juncos). They are also very social birds, which is so cool, because I never see them at the bird feeder alone. They are always in flocks of six to eight, sometimes only two, but never alone.
What a beautiful reflection Jeannie! (Ross Gay essay inspired?) We have much to learn from nature: the beauty, the simplicity, the danger and the bounty - you have written about it so beautifully here! I love reading you. It is my unhurried moment :)
Hi friend, yes! It was a Ross Gay-inspired essay! So glad to hear that reading this was your unhurried moment. I think many of us need more of those, right?
Oh, how nice to hear there might have been a poetic tone to what I wrote, Marjorie! I don't consider myself to be a poet, but I do like to tinker with language a bit. Thank you!
This is lovely, Jeannie. While reading, I found myself thinking about my favorite nature tome (besides Walden), The Outermost House by Henry Beston. He spent a whole year observing nature, mostly birds, from a small shack on the Cape Cod National Seashore. Think your family could spare you for a year? 🤣
Thanks, Don. That's a novel idea--to have my family spare me for a year! How tempting that sounds right now...
I haven't read The Outermost House, but now I will add it to my to-read list.
Thank u, Jeannie! What a wonderful way God has of teaching us life’s lessons, with two small birds. But we have to be watching for those lessons, those very special moments to learn something huge from something quite small. Thank u for observing, watching for that new lesson He provided for u and sharing it with us. I was touched by your story, God bless u❣️🍒
I'm so glad you were touched by my story, Cherre. Nature speaks to me in a deeply spiritual way.
Nature is the greatest teacher. Thank you for sharing its wisdom, Jeannie. ❤
I agree, Nancy. I have always felt a strong connection to the natural world, since childhood. To me, nature speaks its own wisdom--I am merely the listener and the one who communicates that wisdom.
“They’re so beautiful!” I said, and my mom quickly cautioned me with, “They’re also dangerous. They’ll rip you apart if you get too close.” This stopped me in my tracks.
Isn’t that gripping, Stephanie? It’s a sliver of how I was raised—my beautiful mother’s pathology (she has OCD and depression) slanted her worldview and instilled a great amount of fear in me. Fear pretty much ruled my life until Sarah was born.
"Maybe humans, in our aging and aching bodies, learn the lesson of slowing down because we must. But maybe the juncos know better than we, that nothing in our day is worth haste and hurry."
This line, Jeannie, is particularly striking. It suggests that wisdom isn't necessarily something we gain with age, but something that might be inherent in the natural world. It's almost humbling to think that these tiny birds might have a deeper understanding of life's pace than we do. It's a reminder that sometimes, the greatest teachers are not the ones with the loudest voices, but the ones who live quietly and observe patiently. Your words here are a gentle invitation to reconsider our priorities and to find value in the unhurried moments.
Oh, so true, Alex! Nature carries so much inherent wisdom, I believe. I learn so much by sitting quietly and observing its movements or stillness. Over the weekend, a pair of mourning doves stopped at my bird feeder, and I watched them as they ate the bird seed. Thirty minutes later, one of them had fallen asleep at the base of the feeder! Just resting peacefully—no hurry, no haste. Thirty minutes after that (so an hour after my initial observation), both doves remained. They just didn’t seem to have anywhere urgent to rush off to, and that always tells me something about myself and about life in general.
Awwww. What a precious moment, and what a haven a safety you have created for them to feel so secure. 🩵 Thank you for sharing that with me. That brought such a big smile to my face!
Hi Jeannie,
I admit I never heard of juncos, but seeing the picture of one, I can tell they are lovely. Nature is brutal, it's true, but wild animals have also shown great tenderness. I really enjoyed this reflective essay; it's also a reminder to slow down and appreciate the grandeur of life.
Thanks, Beth. Guess what? I didn't know what kind of birds they were, either, so I looked them up in my handy bird guide! That's how I discovered they were slate grey dark-eyed juncos (because apparently, there are other kinds of juncos). They are also very social birds, which is so cool, because I never see them at the bird feeder alone. They are always in flocks of six to eight, sometimes only two, but never alone.
What a beautiful reflection Jeannie! (Ross Gay essay inspired?) We have much to learn from nature: the beauty, the simplicity, the danger and the bounty - you have written about it so beautifully here! I love reading you. It is my unhurried moment :)
Hi friend, yes! It was a Ross Gay-inspired essay! So glad to hear that reading this was your unhurried moment. I think many of us need more of those, right?
Always!
❤️🐦⬛✍️ Such a delightful read, poetic reminder on how to be. Thank you!
Oh, how nice to hear there might have been a poetic tone to what I wrote, Marjorie! I don't consider myself to be a poet, but I do like to tinker with language a bit. Thank you!
Lovely piece! Beautiful descriptions and observations of nature. Thanks for sharing.
I'm so glad it spoke to you, Rachel. Thank you!
Thank you for this perfectly timed reminder.
I'm glad it reached you at the time you needed it the most, Bridget.