Grey Bird Says Relax

Georgann Low

There’s this gray bird — tiny, or I should say — very small, but not tiny.

He pokes his long beak into various flowers in my garden. He seems to particularly favor Hyssop but sometimes he wanders over to the Buddleia or the rose. I see him as my friend because he returns again and again — always alone and with a kind of steadfast intelligence some birds seem to lack. There’s power of purpose and discernment in his doings. Quite often when he’s ready to fly away, Gray Bird flies in circles around my head as I sit and sip my tea.

I think of this now that the snows have come and his actual presence is long gone. I think of him, too, because this early morning I poke my beak into different thoughts patterns and take into my consciousness sweet nectar of spiritual inspiration from writers I trust, eventually calming my breath into awareness of this moment.

Where else would I be? Oh, I could easily be wandering in worry from one dire prediction to another in these sometimes unspeakably difficult times. (My poor heart!)

But slowing down and coming into this moment is so much healthier. I am gathering what I need to appreciate and fully live this new day — filling any spaces of worry and confusion in my heart with optimism and the sure knowledge that I am not alone. Others have made it through even more challenging times yet I see from reading history that the world keeps moving forward. I’m here to tell you to relax! Loving cosmic energy is going to prevail.