We’ve all heard the saying “A little birdie told me so”. This week, the saying rang true.
From what I know of hummingbirds, they are small, almost luminescent looking, and quick to move. Nearly every time I see one, I’m caught by surprise by their beautiful coloring and unique little groove.
When I was a child I remember loving the days at my grandparents’ house. Gardening was always a big part of their life. Grandmum would be in the front tending to the flowers and shrubs, while my grandfather would be in the back with the big red tomatoes and fighting with bugs.
They had a small kitchen table that sat by tall paned windows inside. We could see the entire backyard. In the morning and at night, we would see all kinds of wildlife passing by. Foxes, rabbits, birds, and all. My grandfather made it obvious that providing for others was part of his call.
We would be eating his famous BBQ Chicken when all of a sudden a fox would walk up to the nearby bank, eating a snack he had left on a small paper plate. They would stare into the window as if they were giving him thanks.
My favorite moments go back to when the hummingbirds would fly right up to the windows we sat near. They’d drink from the sweet sugar water bottle that my grandfather would never let run dry.
For some reason, I’ve always thought of my grandfather when a hummingbird passes by. It’s been almost a decade now since he’s passed away. These visits from the hummingbirds act as a sign that he is well and okay.
Over the years, many hummingbirds have flown by me. Though this week it felt different when I was visited over the period of a couple of days by this particular little guy.
Life has been throwing curve balls, plot twists, and everything in between. I found myself amazed that this little bird could flap his wings so quickly, then stop in mid air, so suddenly. I felt as though he was reminding me of how quickly our life’s direction can change.
He would stop in mid-air, just a few feet away. He would look right at me, telling me “Yes, things are moving fast and all at once, but it’s going to be okay.”
The hummingbird was a reminder that life may be moving at an ultra-fast pace, yet we can stop or slow down to really stare it in the face. Like the fox, or the bird staring in to give thanks, we too should take a moment to pump the breaks.
Life will keep moving just as the hummingbirds do, whether the sweet water runs dry or the bank behind the house no longer has fox food.
So before you get caught up in the faster-moving pace, pause for a moment and take the time to give thanks.
Makenna Curtis
Faith, Family, & Entertainment Writer
Local Pulse Pensacola
