learning life lessons

I met a bird this morning, he was a baby cardinal hiding among pansies. Just recently left the nest, I bet. I saw him bounce about while I prepped my shop and headed on my way.. hours later I came back to find that he hadn't made it through the day. Im not sure what happened, he was big enough to survive on his own, nothing had hurt him or attacked him.. but anyway... my mother happened to be at the shop with me and she is just as sensitive if not more than I am and upon hearing the news and seeing this little lifeless crimson friend, her heart broke for him. It is such a strange reminder when death creeps into your life, even through the smallest of things.. childhood hamsters, your pet goldfish, perhaps your overly adventurous bird... But something really moving and honest happened to my pride and misunderstanding of life and death while I watched this woman who has helped countless people and children in her life, seen life and seen death of parents, grandparents & friends.. nearly come to tears at the loss of this one little bird. He was so precious to her.



I havent lost anything incredibly dear to me in a considerable amount of time & I am grateful for this everyday. But today during a brief and fleeting moment, I was subtly reminded that this isn't going to be the case forever. This thought led me many places and practically all of them i never want to visit again.. but it did leave me with one thing.. love. i gotta give it, i wanna show it, receive it, share it, grow it and know it completely. Rest In Peace little FernGully.