I had a date with a heron the other day. I didn't realize it until I actually saw him, but this was indeed a divine appointment. Somehow through the haze that is everyday life, he called to me. And I came.
I knew it was important for me to connect with nature--to tune in. With my husband in tow, I drove to a specific parking area along some local walking trails we like to use. The lot was packed, except for one spot that seemed ideal. I wasn't sure how it was open when even the street beside it was lined with parked cars.
When we got out of the car, I told my husband I wanted to go this way today. (You have your choice of two directions to walk from this parking lot.) I kept thinking I wanted to go down by the creek and see if the copperhead snakes were sunning on their usual spot on the rocks that get warmed by the sunshine. I told my husband I wanted to go just past the bridge we see the snakes at, but no farther.
It was a beautiful Sunday morning. The sun was bright. Plenty of blue sky could be seen through the fluffy clouds. The vegetation in Georgia this time of year is lush and green. As I walked past wetlands and woods, I felt anxieties melt away as I absorbed all the energies in nature. My husband is the type who is also content just being out in the woods, so we walked mostly in a compatible silence.
As we approached the bridge where we see the snakes sunning themselves, I began to look through the vegetation to the running water just beyond it. There in the distance was a huge water bird. A heron. His long beak and blue/gray feathers caught my attention as they contrasted against the falling water. I have seen similar water birds, but never in this location.
It's actually something of a miracle I saw him at all. He was not easy to see. It took my husband a minute when I pointed him out. I also pointed him out to a few other fellow nature lovers who were passing by. One of them asked who had spotted it. I told him I did, and he told me I had a good eye. Ironic as I age.
I have to believe that something that morning told me I had an appointment to keep. I felt the need to hurry. Usually I am much more laid back in my nature journeys. I had a specific destination in mind, and I knew I wanted to go there, but no farther. The bird was in the spot I was looking to see some sort of wildlife.
Following your heart can bring some interesting experiences. They may not always be profound or earth-shattering, but they will always leave you content in the understanding you are part of a much larger and beautiful whole.
~CSE
I knew it was important for me to connect with nature--to tune in. With my husband in tow, I drove to a specific parking area along some local walking trails we like to use. The lot was packed, except for one spot that seemed ideal. I wasn't sure how it was open when even the street beside it was lined with parked cars.
When we got out of the car, I told my husband I wanted to go this way today. (You have your choice of two directions to walk from this parking lot.) I kept thinking I wanted to go down by the creek and see if the copperhead snakes were sunning on their usual spot on the rocks that get warmed by the sunshine. I told my husband I wanted to go just past the bridge we see the snakes at, but no farther.
It was a beautiful Sunday morning. The sun was bright. Plenty of blue sky could be seen through the fluffy clouds. The vegetation in Georgia this time of year is lush and green. As I walked past wetlands and woods, I felt anxieties melt away as I absorbed all the energies in nature. My husband is the type who is also content just being out in the woods, so we walked mostly in a compatible silence.
As we approached the bridge where we see the snakes sunning themselves, I began to look through the vegetation to the running water just beyond it. There in the distance was a huge water bird. A heron. His long beak and blue/gray feathers caught my attention as they contrasted against the falling water. I have seen similar water birds, but never in this location.
It's actually something of a miracle I saw him at all. He was not easy to see. It took my husband a minute when I pointed him out. I also pointed him out to a few other fellow nature lovers who were passing by. One of them asked who had spotted it. I told him I did, and he told me I had a good eye. Ironic as I age.
I have to believe that something that morning told me I had an appointment to keep. I felt the need to hurry. Usually I am much more laid back in my nature journeys. I had a specific destination in mind, and I knew I wanted to go there, but no farther. The bird was in the spot I was looking to see some sort of wildlife.
Following your heart can bring some interesting experiences. They may not always be profound or earth-shattering, but they will always leave you content in the understanding you are part of a much larger and beautiful whole.
~CSE
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