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birdsong


this morning as i was stumbling from the kitchen to the living room couch, clutching my coffee mug like it was my last hope, i heard something that roused me from my sleepy morning ritual: a birdsong.  it was full-bodied and warm, like this bird alone had decided to take a stand against winter's domain.  it rang in my ears, yes, but my heart also, calling me back to life.  and she kept singing her life-melody, her loving and fighting song, as the soundtrack to my morning meditations.  it was truly a life-giving moment for me: the courage of such a little creature standing up to the surrounding cold and singing itself into life.  i was inspired.  i want to sing my own songs of life and hope and courage, no matter how cold it seems. 

i often sit in this very spot early in the morning, when the din of morning public broadcasting children's shows hasn't started yet.  it's my place, my sanity, my breathing space.  and very soon it will be accompanied by the sounds of several birds - a chorus of creatures lifting their tiny voices in praise of seed and summer.  but will i hear them?  i mean, will the miracle of birdsong soon become too commonplace for me to notice anymore?  i'm afraid it's likely, and a matter of sooner rather than later.  the miraculous melodies of joy and courage will soon become background noise and -dare i even say it - clatter and distraction.  and it's not just birdsong!  how many other miracles of life do i miss simply because they have become mundane? 

and so, as i sip my warm coffee this morning, i resolve not to be too busy or distracted to miss the miracles of spring this year.  we've all been complaining about the snow and the cold, and so it is only right that we enjoy the unfolding of bud and branch.  so listen with me!  listen for the symphony of birds.  listen to the grass pushing through the wet earth.  listen to the colors being born again.  listen to the creaking of the days as they expand into the evening.  listen to the trees as they learn to wear their new clothes and clap with joy.  listen to spring this year so you don't miss the miracle all around you. 
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