There Is Meaning In Everything
What better place to write my next blog than right here in nature, sitting on my back deck with my feet propped up on the railing. I had a cool experience I’d like to share with you and I think it might just give you something to ponder. Lately, I have become obsessed with finding the meaning in everything. I don’t care what it is, if it’s going on around me or if it’s an experience that a loved one has encountered, I think it’s pertinent and has some hidden message in it.
Yesterday morning, before the sun was even up, I took Puppy out to go to the bathroom. She immediately ran over and swooped up a baby bird in her mouth. As luck would have it, she only grabbed him. She didn’t bite down so he wasn’t injured. I’m not sure how old this little nugget was but he was fully feathered and I was fairly certain that he had just been booted out of the nest.
I needed to begin mowing, which is an all day deal around here but I also knew that I couldn’t live with myself if I accidentally ran over the bird so I decided that I would mow every area EXCEPT the front yard, giving him/her time to learn to fly and be gone. I don’t know how much time it actually takes to learn to fly if you’re a bird but I was assuming not that long. The sun was scorching and I mowed everything that I could whilst avoiding the front yard even though I was looking forward to putting the finish on this daunting task. I kept telling myself that it’s not about the yard looking nice, it’s about honoring nature, whatever that entails, and I let it go for the night.
Early, early this morning thunderstorms rolled in and all I could think about was that little bird. Wondering if he’d made it through the night from the little fox, hoping that the torrential downpours didn’t drown him, you know all the things you envision in your mind while worrying about a “bird.” Again, Puppy needed out so after taking care of that business, I carefully tip-toed, watching every step I took as to not accidentally smush him. Lo and behold and much to my surprise there he was. He was bright-eyed and bushy tailed (well as much as you can be after having just survived a tidal wave drowning) and he had MOVED…from his last documented location. I was excited knowing that he must be made of some tough stuff to have made it through the night. Although I still needed to mow, I decided that I would wait it out and let him get this deal of flying done before I finished up. I went about my business as best I could, checking on his whereabouts about every 15 minutes because I couldn’t stand not knowing where he was. And then right about the time I had actually come to terms with how silly this all was, waiting on that baby bird to get his wings on, I lost him. I mean I couldn’t find him to save my life. Hunched over for an hour, I searched through every blade of tall grass. I looked, bent over, at every square inch of the front yard. I even went so far as to go inside and get Puppy to scent track it. No luck with that I might add. Then all of a sudden it occurred to me to be quiet and find my stillness…and listen for the little peeps that I knew he’d make. Sure enough I heard mama then little baby communicating back and forth. Relieved, I followed the “peeps” until I found that little feathered, fluff ball and he was looking right at me, out of range to be chewed up in the lawn mower (thank God!). I know his heart must have been beating a million beats per second when he heard the mower start up because his little wings went to flapping and he landed in my garden. It was in that moment that I knew that I did the right thing by letting nature take it’s course and that I’d been worrying for absolutely nothing (as I usually do). God had it under control and knew all along that this journey that the baby bird was taking was just part of the grand scheme of things…the grand scheme of life.
I had to wonder though, because that’s what I do, what meaning all of this had for me. So let’s break it down…I found a baby bird that had been booted out of the nest in order for it to learn how to fly. He had many obstacles that came up against him when trying to meet his goal but was tough enough to withstand even the strongest storms. He patiently waited, taking little baby steps one at a time, with tremendous perseverance. Although he was scared (by the mower blade) he didn’t let fear hold him back from spreading his wings to fly. I have to admit that when he took a couple little flying hops across the driveway I got right down in his cuteness overload face and said “Good job, little buddy. I’m proud of you.” Too much? I don’t care because I am thankful, oh so thankful for this heart that God gave me to appreciate even the smallest of things like this.
The meaning I am taking away from all this is that life may bring us storms at times. They may be scary and we may have to stand out in them with the rain pouring down in buckets. Lightning may be flashing and the thunder of God may be rolling like bowling pins but if we hold tight to our faith, knowing that when the rain ends God will take it from there…we too will spread our wings and fly. Because that’s what God wants us to do…soar high above it all, in this beautiful life he’s given us.
By the way, since the writing of this post on the back deck, I have seen…two raccoons, two turkeys, two does, and two fawns…Noah’s Ark? And my little blonde/red fox just came up to my front door checking to see if I’ve thrown out his nightly scraps. God blesses me every day with glimpses just like this and I am perpetually humbled by his unfailing love for this tender heart he created in me.
I am also taking away from this moment that sometimes we have to quiet ourselves, become still, so that we are able to hear that small, soft voice saying “Listen to where I’m leading you to go and you’ll find what it is you’re looking for.”
Wishing ya’all a blessed day,
Kelly 🙂
