CAROLS BIRDS
I am always
interested in animals and their unique interaction with people when it’s
not merely on the physical plane. Indeed, these relationships can have
deep, spiritual significance.
Carol Hawke
©
TheDogPlace December 2009
-
I've had some interesting experiences
myself, a few that cross those intriguing, paranormal parameters.
A few years back, I
foolishly agreed to go on a winter road trip with mother and my sister
from MN. The journey was long and tedious, just for starters. After
innumerable side trips and silly disagreements, we finally arrived at
our destination – a lovely Tampa residence we once owned - only to have
sister smoke us out by failing to work the fireplace correctly. We all
ended up in yet another meager motel. I was feeling ill by that time;
thoroughly fed up with the endless female bickering over equally endless
details and called hubby to arrange a ticket to fly home.
Our little party
headed for the Orlando airport and spent yet another night at a motel
there. Still feeling unwell, I assumed mom and sis would drive me to the
airport the next morning but they deeply resisted the inconvenience of
driving toward downtown rather than away from it (petrified
country dwellers.) I told them to go and I would take the motel
transport. I cannot recall a time I had felt so utterly abandoned by my
family as I waved after their van whilst they departed out of sight,
leaving me to fend for myself. Silly as it is, I felt just as if I had
been dropped off on a deserted island! At any rate, I decided, weary
and broken hearted to seek a chair by the pool in the meager warmth of
the early morning winter sun.
As I rounded the
corner to the abandoned pool to take a
chair, I very nearly stepped upon a bird, but no! It was a pair of
birds! There at my very feet were two Mourning Doves (my favorite of
all birds) and they were crouched side by side on the cement walkway,
apparently sunning. They did not move or even make a noise. I stared
down in shock awaiting that familiar whistling flutter of their wings
because they are a notably shy bird but these did not budge. In fact,
they remained in place as I sat down right next to them within arms
reach. I longed to touch them but could only stare with stunned
appreciation. The wonder of it all filled my heart as they peered at me
with dark, searching eyes that seemed to penetrate my soul. There was
something remarkably human about their expressions. I wanted to pinch
myself and verify that I was not dreaming, after all.
A few minutes later my
cell phone rang, startling me from my abject fascination and, happily,
it was my hubby. Even the loud cell phone ring did not startle those
two birds away. It was as if they had been glued to the cement. The
comfort of hubby's voice cheered me as I excitedly related the story of
the pair of Mourning Doves at my feet in a hushed tone. As our
conversation engaged me and I felt my focus turning away from the birds,
suddenly the pair flew off directly over my head, very nearly touching
me! I knew God had sent them inasmuch to say, "I promised never to
leave you or forsake you...(even if family does) I love you, my child."
It is perhaps, little
surprise that someone with the last name “Hawke” might share some
spiritual connection with birds. The Mourning Dove incident was not my
first encounter; I had another many years earlier in the home where we
raised, virtually, all of our showddogs. I had been extremely ill and
wondered if I should ever really recover. Seeking God with all my weary
heart, I hoped, as we all do…for that miracle, that breakthrough I
desired. A sudden healing did not come, no, there would be long months
and some years of struggle ahead. But at the point I think I might have
given up all hope, I felt the sudden desire to step out onto the front
porch early one morning about dawn.
There before me was
the most magnificent and HUGE white bird I think I’ve ever seen. It
looked like a dove or a pigeon perhaps but stood so very tall. I think
it might have been close to the size of a parrot! The shock of it
standing near me on the porch took me aback and I did not know whether
to move or call for someone else to see it. Again, I just stood there,
entranced in a scene from which I could neither depart nor ascend.
These are moments you can live in, spiritually speaking, that transcend
time, space and matter - all of that wonderful stuff that keeps us
contented prisoners here. This enormous bird stood its ground staring
at me gently for a very long time. I decided to go back into the house
to tell someone about it but when I returned, it was gone. Someone said
it might have been a homing pigeon but do they really grow to that
size? Are they stark white with a distinct glow about them? I swear to
you, it is like you see in those silly movies where little sparkles seem
to emanate from the princess or prince in a glow.
I suppose that should
be enough about non-carnivorous birds from the standpoint of a Hawke,
but let me add one final episode. In this present house where our
children have grown, left home and all my dogs have departed save the
eldest, I have known such a deep, internal sorrow I cannot explain it.
It is, perhaps, the deep sorrow of seeing ones beloved relationships
depart, one by one and many of them, permanently. There are no words to
express this feeling but it lives inside the soul where it will not
depart. Growing through that sadness is much more difficult for artsy
types who choose to work at home, I think. Thus, I had reached yet
another point in my life where I was sure there was no more hope or
future for myself. I began to pray diligently. I am not quite sure
what I was praying for except for the sorrow to depart and for hope to
take its place as in what we remember most and adore about youth.
Every day throughout
summer, I made a morning trek out to the creek at the edge of our
backyard and would sit there basking in whatever nature might offer me
that day. As I sat on the wooden bench my husband had kindly made for
me, I heard the familiar noisiness of ducks nearby in the rushes. Often
they would suddenly appear and swim past me always peering in some
concern as to whether I would turn out friend or foe. This day a white
flash cut a fine straight path through the water before me. It was an
all white mallard style duck. White as the glow of the tip of a lit
candle! I watched again in complete fascination as she swam in slow,
graceful circles before me. She never left my sight. In awhile, other
ducks swam about her but she seemed to live in her own world and did not
join them. She was stunning and radiant and she knew it!
Day after day she
would come while I waited and swim about me in those slow circles,
preening and then making eye contact with me. One day, in my rapt
fascination I called out to her aloud without thinking, “You are SO
BEAUTIFUL!” She turned toward me, almost shyly and as if in
appreciation, then she swam away. But not before I caught the tail end
of her departure on camera. There is little to see in my photo, I am
afraid. But perhaps if you look very closely, you might just see the
sparkles emanating from the trail behind her. I never saw her again
after that day.
So, I leave you with
my paranormal bird relationships. (They come, they go, but they
never call or write….!)
Typical Jewish mother
I guess…
http://www.thedogplace.org/Articles/Prose/Carols-Birds_Hawke-0912.asp
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