I used to have a health-care professional who practiced Native American religion, if that is the correct terminology. She believes that any human encounter with wildlife happens for a reason. Once, when I shared with her that I had a goal of seeing a cardinal every day, she told me that was highly significant.
Well, today, she would have given birth to four-legged creatures that moo.
As I was on my morning walk, bouncing along to my trusty I-pod and the music that gives me energy, suddenly, not more than ten feet in front of me, the most gorgeous bird landed, looked at me, and simply sat for about sixty seconds. I immediately froze so I could observe the bird and appreciate its splendid plumage. I came home and found my bird book, discovering that the bird must have been some type of Oriole, maybe even a Tanager. 'Bird' and I studied each other and I was so thankful that the bird seemed not, in the least, troubled by my close proximity. After about one minute, the bird flew off, hopefully to grace another human's eye sight and not that of a feral cat's evil gaze.
Of course, I know not why the bird chose me to get up-front-and-personal with, but I did feel as if some part of nature was speaking directly to me. Who knows, maybe it was my childhood/adulthood cat, Duke, who had been sent back to earth to do penance as a bird? Or, perhaps, the bird just needed to rest, eat a bug, or relieve itself. Whatever this avian's purpose was, it certainly had a profound effect on me. Its visage is prominently featured in my mind's eye and probably will be for some time to come.
Thank you, bird.
