A Lesson from the Birds: 10 January 2010

Yesterday's snowfall covered the few bare patches of ground under the trees in our yard, leaving the little chickadees in a foodless quandary (or so I thought) as they have often come to peck and poke at the ground over the past couple of weeks since the last snowfall. This afternoon I watched as the downy woodpeckers frequented the suet cage and, lo and behold, the chickadees were on the snow down below feasting on the seeds that were dropping from the suet block as the woodpeckers nibbled away nearly cleaning out the suet cage. One of the cool things about noticing what's going on in nature is how a sight or sound can echo an experience in human life.

Watching the birds reminded me of what I've been doing these past several days: cleaning out - closets, bookshelves, cupboards, drawers - sifting through the "stuff" that has accumulated over the course of several years. Gosh, I even found stuff I had long forgotten we had! Everything from coats and boots and clothes to books and kitchen items and odds and ends got the once over and what we no longer have use for (and is in good condition) got packed up in boxes and donated to the thrift stores so that someone else could make good use of the items. It's amazing how much clutter can build up over a period of time leaving little, if any, room for storing the more important things. The same is true of our inner, spiritual life.

There no doubt are times when there is so much going on in our lives, we have difficult emotions tugging on our hearts and/or are barraged by a myriad of thoughts cluttering our minds that we don't pay much attention, or have the energy or desire, to engage in practices that nurture our connection with the Sacred. I wonder...perhaps we could take a cue from the woodpeckers who so diligently tend to cleaning out the suet cage and at the same time offer the little chickadees the opportunity to also gather sustenance for themselves. When we weave some time for spiritual enrichment into our daily routine, whether through prayer, journaling, reading, meditating, etc., we will find the strength and desire to sort through our inner clutter and begin to feel more spiritually in balance. As we nurture and take in nourishment for our spiritual dimension, we just may find ourselves more able and willing to give, to share, to love those who need just what we have to offer.

Peace on the Journey.