How charming is this little guy? I love his little feet, and how he looks very plain from far away, but if you get close enough you can see his glittery, golden feathers.
I remember getting to touch a hummingbird once as a child, on vacation with my parents. A little guy had taken a wrong turn and found himself stuck on a window sill, high above a gift shop with a very flustered gift shop owner trying to catch him. My dad simply climbed the ladder, put his hat over the tiny bird, and collected him into his hands. You know, because catching a hummingbird is so easy.
Once outside, he opened up a little peephole in his hands and let me spy on the little bird. I remember it sizing me up with one tiny eyeball, as I extended a finger to stroke the silky feathers of its head. And then, after a few moments he was gone.
When I think of my childhood, I can't help but think of hummingbirds. Every summer my mother put a feeder out, and I could watch, and listen to them from the open bay window. When it was too cold the birds would move on, and the feeder would come down. The delicate glass birds twinkling from the mirror of my mother's little sports car made the chilly months seem shorter, if even just the slightest bit.
It is said for many people, the hummingbird is the creature that opens the heart. What a lovely thought. Sams, and Carson go on to say:
When we assume hummingbird consciousness, our life becomes a wonderland of sensuous delights. We live for beauty, delighting in flowers, aromas, fine mist, and delicate tastes.
When it becomes our totem, the hummingbird teaches us to laugh and enjoy the creation, to appreciate the magic of being alive, and the truth of beauty.
I guess Mother Nature never ceases to bring us lessons, even from the smallest of teachers.
