Miracles Outside Of My Window

My office is located at the back of my house situated on a small salt water bay surrounded by marsh and a further tree line of oaks, palms cedars and pines. The sun is shining, the sky is blue without a cloud in sight and the wind is gently blowing across the nearby palms creating a slight rustling sound through the branches. The copper wind chimes occasionally sing out a little happy song to say cheer up.

There are flocks of sea birds feeding and playing on the outgoing tide. White and blue herons, pelicans, sea gulls, egrets, and our resident Osprey are co-mingling on and above the shimmering blue water. Their swooping, diving and flying in circles to splash down and catch a fish reminds me of a choreographed dance as graceful as any ballet.

Small sparrows are closer to the house pecking away at the bugs in the grass, hopping here and there in the back yard near the vegetable and herb garden. The blue bird that ate most of my blueberries last year flew in to perch on top of the tomato support cage and stares in the direction of the bush the same way he did all summer and fall before flying over to eat his fill. There is nothing on the bush for him today and he flies off elsewhere in search for his dinner. This particular tomato cage is still supporting a thriving tomato plant that made it through the winter continuing to develop rebel tomatoes non stop!

And to top it off, a yellow butterfly comes dipping and fluttering across the yard, the first butterfly of the year! My heart is lifted by the thought of spring around the corner.

So I sit here staring out for a while forgetting about work, politics, my problems and the suffering in the world to reflect on how miraculous all of life is and how diverse and beautiful God's creations are. I am inspired to pray a prayer of gratitude for my blessings and for all of the blessings that we have been given on this beautiful planet. 

That life feeds on life and competes for space filters into my thoughts. The Osprey flies because the fish he caught died to feed him. The fish was fat making for a good meal because of the smaller fish and water bugs it ate. I don't mourn for the life that was given up because it continues on inside of its new host. Suddenly the connectedness of every thing makes it's picture in my head and I smile to know that I am here for a while to marvel at it and dance along in this grand production finding my own space to swim, leap and dive.

When I look up again after praying all but one of the dozens of birds previously feeding were gone just like that. They took their dance troop somewhere else but for a few minutes they put on a show just for me in their performance of life.

BRAVO!

(Not taken today but it is a regular scene from the miracles constantly going on outside of my window.)