So here we are, 2021. I'm thinking, it's never going to happen. I won't see this bird until April. I'll be lucky if I see one at all. Now, I don't mean to be pessimistic. I truly think this train of thought I found myself cycling through the other day was a self-protective kind of unproductive drain of sorts. I felt a bit concerned. Like so many other things that have been unpredicted and out of my control, I wouldn't see a robin this year. That I'd be too busy. Or, maybe I would see one after seeing many, maybe even without realizing it. That maybe this would be the year I didn't try because so much will be on my mind that I'd miss this--oh so important--transitional image that I count on each year. (Can you hear me whining here?)
* * * * * * * * * *
Sitting at my desk, my eyes became distracted by movement near the window. I wasn't intending on looking, but I couldn't help it. Like a little hello, there it was. A beautiful, bouncy robin playing in a puddle outside my window. Digging in and down, looking around for something to grab in its beak. I was immediately just washed over with this sense of relief and joy.
It was so many things.
I was happy to see the robin; I was happy to not have to look for one. This was--my one. I could check that off and not worry that my busy mind would miss something. And even though it has no actual impact on my ability to move forward, it would somehow allow me to move forward a bit more.
I'm on the look-out ... that I CAN do with two broken arms. Love this piece - the symbolism, the time shift, the internal dialogue - great to use as a mentor text with students.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love this! "A beautiful, bouncy robin playing in a puddle outside my window." This is surely a sign of good things to come.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful reminder to remember to look. I love the sound of "Digging in and down, looking around..."
ReplyDeleteSuch a hope-filled slice to kick off the challenge! Your use of the single line paragraph here is so effective:
ReplyDelete"It was so many things."
We all know exactly what you mean when you say this. So much gratitude for moments like this one!
I know you wrote in prose, Betsy, but the entire slice feels so poetic -- especially this sentence:
ReplyDelete"A beautiful, bouncy robin playing in a puddle outside my window."
Dear Betsy:
ReplyDeleteI love many things about this piece, but I will try to focus on a few. Firstly, I love birds!! As I moved from Houston, Texas to Centennial, Colorado roughly two and a half years ago, the differences in wildlife were among my first observations. In Houston, we often saw armadillos, opossums, raccoons, blue jays and robins. Here we see rabbits (literally everywhere), geese (prominently - as in, we won't be speeding up when we're crossing the street in every neighborhood - so you must wait), coyotes, prairie dogs, (some friends of mine, bears), (others) mountain lions - and among the birds I see most frequently near my home, magpies.
I'd grown so accustomed to looking for blue jays and cardinals in Houston, I was taken aback by the stark difference in the magpie's appearance. It's ebony crest crowns it head as its ivory plumage covers it like a tuxedo of the most royal sorts. It took me a while just to find out what they were called, but my investigative 13 yr old solved the riddle for me. That being said, I find it so fascinating to watch them in their own little world.
I love the way you conveyed your anticipation, amusement and apprehension with its arrival. I can imagine how someone would consider it most uneventful - and yet, I can see it replete with meaningfulness - because it represents a constant in a world so lately filled with the unexpected and inexplicable.
I am glad that the robin came for your seasonal rendezvous. I imagine its presence was quite the wonderful occasion. I don't know that I'd see one here, but after your post, I think I may appreciate the magnificent magpies just a little bit more. They provide a wonderful escape from daily dilemmas beyond my control.
May there be many more dances at your window.
With Warmest Regards,
~Carla Michelle