Small But Mighty
Today, I’d like to introduce you to Herb Hummingbird. Herb is, specifically, a ruby-throated hummingbird, and, IMHO, one of the most magical of the migratory birds.
He’s teeny, tiny, y’all.
I’m in my fifth year hosting hummingbirds and, like clockwork, they arrive at the RRR during the first week of May. I’d had the foresight and optimism to put out a feeder in that first spring, but quickly learned how fiercely these little guys (and sometimes gals) would fight over it. So I put up a second one. Not sure it mattered, as the divebombing continued through the summer.
This most recent spring, I was gone for a week, but filled the feeders right before I left and cajoled my neighbor into stopping by and checking them. After all, these little ones have traveled a very long way and I try to run a hospitable summer establishment.
But I digress…
Upon my return, I noticed something different from previous years. Herb had ensconced himself at the tippy top of the brush pile. Not momentarily, as in years past, but pretty much from sunup to sundown. How might I know this? Well…since I now work from home, I spend lots of quality time on the screened porch gazing at that brush pile as the birds fly in and out on their way to and from the feeders.
I could spend hours this way—and maybe I do—but I’m not quite ready to admit it.
I can’t help but marvel at Herb’s bravado. Perhaps he’s ignorant of the fact that Henry Hawk is an occasional visitor although, to be fair, I’ve only ever seen Henry in winter.
But still….
I often long to think like a bird, which means focusing only on those things necessary to survival. I mean, it’d be so much simpler, no? Instead, I engage in what seems like an endless treading of the water of overthinking—as if the consequences of the wrong decision or unpleasant occurrence are as dire as being eaten by a hawk.
They’re really not.
And those things I ruminate about that are well outside of my control? Herb has no time for any of it.
This past week, my book launched. And simultaneously, some not great things happened that were outside of my control. Amongst all the congratulatory messages and the sentiments of “you must be so excited!” I felt small and insignificant. Why, you ask? After all, I wrote a book! That’s a big deal all by itself.
Just like Herb’s trip from Central America is a really big deal.
Instead of celebrating the lovely product that I’d created and brought into the world, I shifted the goal posts. I wanted to make a giant splash in a pond where big fish flourish and little fish just hope to live to see another day.
Are you sick of the nature metaphors yet?
I love them because nature teaches me better lessons than most anything else. There’s a simplicity to it all: if today is rough, even if it’s all in my own head, I just have to survive to the next day.
So that’s what I did.
Then the first ripple in the pond came into view.
I cannot adequately express the joy I felt seeing that post.
And—just like that—I became Herb on top of the brush pile.
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I’m being told I’m now in full-court press for promotion, so if you’re a newer subscriber and haven’t seen the bazillion other things I’ve posted about my book, head on over to my website and check it out. It’s a pretty good book, or so I’m told.
If you like my musings on here and know someone else who’d enjoy reading them, please share this blog. It’s time to create some more ripples!