Sipping my first cup of black coffee this morning I stared out the window. The birds bring me so much joy during these dark days of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
My father gifted us a birdhouse when I moved into my new house last year. It was his old birdhouse and he passed it along to me. I have glued it once already, I really hope it will stay together. I will forever hold a special place in my heart as my parents are birders.
“A feeling of expectation and desire for certain things to happen” Oxford Dictionary
It may have taken me a pandemic to understand their fascination with these little fluttering creatures. Perhaps a slowing down of life to truly appreciate the simple things.
I have always loved the mornings, a time of quiet reflection before the day starts, the kids demanding my time. It is just me, my coffee and the birds these early mornings.
Excited about my sightings I emailed my Mom with a photo of the red cardinal that I saw at the feeder this morning and I told her about the yellow finches I saw the day before. My Mom replied, “you will have them all the time now”.
Nature never ceases to amaze me, maybe I am getting old to be so awestruck by the birds and their plight. Perhaps we could learn from them?
Last night after a bike ride around the neighborhood with the kids my daughter mentioned to me, “Mom where is the chalk, we should write something?”
I may have muttered something under my breathe as I wanted to go in and turn on the TV as my legs felt a little like jello from the first big bike ride of the season.
Prior to this pandemic you rarely saw people writing on their driveways, but now it is commonplace. My daughter quickly created beautiful hearts along with rainbows at the end of our driveway. She also wrote a big Thank You in her beautiful handwriting.
My contribution was the word, HOPE.
We all need to be reminded to have hope in times like these.
Chatting with my Dad yesterday he let me know he will be most likely beginning his second round of radiation in the near future. It was so good to hear hope in his voice.
He wasn’t supposed to be with us as his this long. Three years ago he had his first round of chemo and radiation for cancer. We are so grateful for everyday he gets out of bed and watches the birds with my Mom.
He is an amazing strong man as is my Mother who is fighting her own battles. They celebrate 58 years of marriage this July. Together they have have weathered and endured many storms along with their share of rainbows and sunny skies.
Music is so good for the soul, I found a beautiful song about hope. Click on the link to listen, Michael Franti: HEY WORLD (DON’T GIVE UP), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01FE9cPXE3M
Together we are all fighting our own battles in these unprecedented times. This invisible disease is lurking all around us. We cannot see it, touch it, smell it and yet it is killing us. Quarantined in our houses, many unable to go to work, jobs lost or put on hold while we all try to social distance and stay safe.
When we first heard of this virus in early January which began in Wuhan, China. Never in a million years did we think, (well maybe the Scientists knew) that the whole World would be shut down as the virus has traveled and spread so quickly.
Luckily I haven’t known anyone who has had the virus yet. I say yet as the experts say most people may get it eventually. We are 18 Months from a vaccine or maybe sooner if we are so lucky.
The World is slowly opening up again. Like other parts of the World, Ontario is announcing a Phase 1 reopening of our Province today, I am sure many of us will be glued to our TV’s waiting for news of our fate.
Hope is what we have for better days, for science to come up with a vaccine to help us get back to normal. But will we ever be normal again? What will the new normal be?
We will get back to our jobs, our family celebrations, concerts, events and HUGS.
During this crisis we have seen amazing beautiful people caring in ways that seemed unimaginable just Months ago.
Truth be told, I haven’t felt like writing much lately. I am a freelance writer and a couple of the publications I write for told me they are not accepting freelance writers at this time due to the changes with COVID_19.
Chatting with a good friend yesterday she said “how sad, people need stories more than ever these days!” We all need friends to motivate us and encourage us to keep going and give us HOPE on those dark days.
I hope to share some upcoming stories of people, business and organizations helping others in the upcoming Months.
Stay safe, stay together and lets have HOPE FOR BETTER DAYS!
Talk soon ~
Nancy
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