I stepped out of my house on Thursday morning and I was greeted by brilliant sunlight and frigid air. On this day, these two very different forces of nature seemed to be related to each other, like sisters, and both were startling.
The icy wind grabbed at my exposed face, and the sunlight scratched my eyes. The combination was almost unbearable. My mind, as if presented with a queer puzzle- kept trying to reconcile how it was possible that a place with so much light, could be so cold!
I dropped Juli off at school, and was returning home.
My mind was full...I'd turned off my CD so I could think.
I turned off the main road and into my neighborhood. I was thankful to be in the shade of the trees and out of the coruscating sunlight.
Suddenly, a few yards ahead a flurry of blue iridescent feathers flashed in the corner of my eye.
It was a Bluebird~
I don't know what image pops into your head when you hear the word "Bluebird", but it ought to give you a tingle. I often hear the whispered phrase "Bluebird of happiness", bet even that seems incorrect- or not quite right.
One of my favorite poets, Emily Dickinson, wrote:
Hope is the thing with feathers,
That perches in the soul,
It sings the tune without the words,
And never sleeps at all."
I think that Hope is more powerful than Happiness. And I think that from now on, when I recall the bird in Emily's poem, I will see it as a Bluebird.
All my thoughts turned to the bird as it flew past me and into the trees. I was instantly joyful, hopeful, and cheerful. I told one of my friends, "I felt like God had kissed me."
Bluebird sightings and kisses don't last very long, or at least they never seem to last long enough for me :) But they're not quickly forgotten.
I usually see a few Bluebirds in the spring, but not too many in the dead of winter. No one else was around- the street was quiet...I know that Bluebird was meant for me.
Hope is eternal,
Love endures~
A Sorrowful heart,
Can be gently cured.
Walk with me, 
Take my hand-
Hold me close,
Try to understand...
I fall so short,
As do you-
But we can not fail,
If we walk in Truth.
Yes- life is harsh,
And it often stings...
But there's Hope to be found
In a Bluebird's wings.
In times of struggle,
When the grind is tough-
There's a gift on the wind,
But we HAVE TO look up!
So, let's part with a kiss-
I leave mine with you,
And JOY-
In a flurry of iridescent blue~
CRB/1.27.007
Hugs and love to you all- and a special smooch for one, a beloved friend- and a sister :)
20 comments:
I once had a similar experience with a Frigidaire.
the angled son has been shining fiercely lately.
many of us probably over think things..or over analyze situations in our mind.
i also think of friends who have passed on. and people i know who are in iraq. i'm ready for them to come home. for all of them to come home. i fear for them.
i used to see things and i wasn't sure what they were....turns out i was becoming bifocally during my late thirties. however, i will look my eye doctor in the eye and tell him he is completely mistaken about my bifocalyness (sp).
you are lucky to have seen a bluebird..
and yes, no doubt it was meant for you.
there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too tough for him,
I say, stay in there, I'm not going
to let anybody see
you.
there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I pur whiskey on him and inhale
cigarette smoke
and the whores and the bartenders
and the grocery clerks
never know that
he's
in there.
there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too tough for him,
I say,
stay down, do you want to mess
me up?
you want to screw up the
works?
you want to blow my book sales in
Europe?
there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too clever, I only let him out
at night sometimes
when everybody's asleep.
I say, I know that you're there,
so don't be
sad.
then I put him back,
but he's singing a little
in there, I haven't quite let him
die
and we sleep together like
that
with our
secret pact
and it's nice enough to
make a man
weep, but I don't
weep, do
you?
--bluebird
(a poem by Charles Bukowski.)
This would be a wonderful post for 23rd Mandalation, what with the bluebirds, the spooky presence and all.
I'm hoping your friend comes back home in the best shape possible.
Anon :)
Sometimes we have to face kitchen appliances bravely! :)
Schaumi-
"Bifocally"- lol :) That might be it- either that or I need to see a shrink! Twice I saw something in the woods, and then I saw what equates to a "white shadow" (for a second) on the neighbors front porch. But there was no glare, no lights, it was mid day- and it only lasted a second- when I looked again it was gone. I thought someone had draped a sheet over the front door- except it was kind of fuzzy and transparent- and then there was nothing there at all. Also- this family had 5 or 6 deaths last year- in additon to the daughter who lived there (who I had gone to high school with).
I kept looking at the porch- trying to expalin away what I had seen- and I couldn't.
The "white shadow" didn't have anything close to a human form- so I didn't think "Ghost"...or spirit-at least not until later.
Still- you're probably right...
I might need bifocals :)
Crash-
I had never read that before~
Thank you...
X~
I hope you read my comment to Schaumi- I might even email it to you just to be sure.
The other morning when I got up and came down stairs- there were 2, 6 point Bucks in the back yard!
I've seen 1, at a distance...but to have 2, within 30 feet of me- that was cool :)
mayden,
no bluebirds
around here at
this time of year,
but i have a small herd of five deer resting in my front yard this morning -- five bucks(!) -- i feel so very rich :)
/t.
i agree hope is more powerful than happiness.
Happiness can be fleeting... and illusive at times. Hope is always there. There in the bright light of the sunrise and in the color of the bluebird. Its there when we least expect it.
Hope. I think that it keeps us all going. (and coming... here that is for your next post... you did keep us all waiting there Cora! lol) Its nice to have you back!
...and then again you really might have seen something ...
schaumi
This really touched me--
I have often felt that bird sightings were "kisses from heaven"--
especially the unlikely species, that appear at just the right time!
My goodness, kissin on the internet!
OK...I'm in.
You can't think when a CD is playing? Dates you've been on must have been interesting :D
Sure they're pretty, but thy taste like crap. Don't ask how I know that. Nice to see you back and in better sprits to boot. I will even forgive you quoting Dickenson. I missed you.
People often refer to me as the
"Blue Pug of Happiness". But I'm trying to clean up my act a wee bit so that I'm simply known as the "Pug of Happiness".
top o' the morning to you mayden (it is still dark outside here in california).
top of the morning - makes me want to just write and write about skimming the fine, thin first rays of the morning, gold against the blue bowl of a sky,backlit pink, and tucking them into my pocket ... to have them radiate and slip out,here and there all day long
like smiles.
but i really wanted to say - i was lurking and saw this post earlier -
that bluebird is joyous
stunning
belongs singing not just at the top o'the day
but all day
so i'll carry that bird with me today, as i did the other day,
when i flew by here
perched for a bit
but neglected to sing.
thanks.
/t- 5 Bucks! WOW :) You are rich :) I haven't seen mine again- but there's 25 acres behind my house- I know they are back there somewhere!
Kate-
Thank you...there's much we agree on :) Glad you are on the mend~ I'll send you a note later today :)
Schaumi- I know...might have been something~ :) And I could be crazy... :)
Firebird- Yesh- I needed that Bluebird- my mind was going a dozen places at once- and I just needed to be still. It worked :)
Seven- Unfortunately internet kisses are even more fleeting than the real-life ones-
however, they are germ free...so they've got that going for them! :)
xxxooo! ;)
SJ- let's not even go there~ ;)
Phos...I'll take your word on it-Can't imagine there's much meat on one anyway :) Thanks for being here :)
"Pug of Happiness"-
I like it :)
Bird- thank you :)
I'm going to start collecting these little birds (not the real birds of course!). For years and years I collected cows- and I've grown out of it (still love them- but I don't need anymore cow things!)
I want to find a print with a Bluebird and hang it in my office. It meant a lot to me that morning- might become a new symbol of sorts for me this year :)
/bark!
mr. bluebird's on my shoulder!
and its the truth,
it's actual
everything is satisfactual!
thanks mayden...fer everything.
/brrrrrrrrrr
Hugs pooch...the pleasure and honor has been all mine :)
I halfway wondered, as I drove past the bird- if she didn't utter a (soft) /grrrrrr :)
Mayden -
Will you please tell me how so often I read over your blog and find hope in things that look hopeless in my own life - God woman you are such a gift.
I have to admit...the first thing that comes to my mind is that lovely old song...
"May the bird of paridise fly up your nose."
It always gets me teary.
What a truly beautiful post. I love the first paragraphs and then the last stanza of your poem.
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