Heart Crumble And A Red-Winged Blackbird
/A Red-Winged Blackbird
I do my walk/jog on my lunch break in a field off to the side of the hospital.
There's a red-winged blackbird that must have a nest near-by.
He is always perched on tall grasses, in the same spot, and every time I go past, up into the air he goes, flitting above my head, scolding and chastising me until I move further away.
This same activity occurs when I return.
painting by Sandra Merwin
Sweetness And Courage
I wish I could somehow reassure him that I will not go near his nest, but my human communication fails to cross the divide.
This little, brave being. Brave because, after all, he is so small and I am so big in comparison.
Despite our gargantuan size difference, his little heart of courage beat strong. He refused to be intimidated by this lumbering, clunky human passing by.
His sweetness, courage and tenacity crumble my heart into tiny pieces in the holy wonder and love of "all God's creatures, great and small."
