I Have won the affection of children, laughed loud and long, helped others and accepted help when I needed it.
I believe the the world is a better place ,for my having been in it, though there may be someone out there that believes that it will be a better place when I leave it. . .
Sometimes I hold on to a quote for awhile and usually I somehow know when it's time to use it. Same with the photos that I add to the quotes.
It's been a very long cold winter and one of the few joys that came from it seemed to be the birds that I fed on my snow covered deck. From inside my dog, Sunshine, lay back and watched them, her long snout merely inches from them but separated by glass doors. And Daisy, my cat, who is calm and content in any given situation, lay beside Sunshine and watched the birds through sun slitted eyes. And then on the second day, along came the Mourning Doves, 7 or 8 of them at a time, not bothered by the watchful eyes of the dog nor the slitted eyes of the cat nor the other chickadees, cardinals or any of the various birds who fed beside them.
I watched as the other grumbling birds calmed with the appearance of the doves, like grumbly children often calm under the eye of a gentle grandmother. I listened to their calls to each other, Cooooo Coooooo, never raising their voices nor lowering them. And my thoughts on those cold days were how gentle and how peaceful the day became with the arrival of the mourning doves.
A lot of people associate the doves with death or sadness, but not I. I think they only bring gentle peace into our days. I can remember from years ago learning about Mourning Doves at the knees of either Aunt Bett or my Granny Ninna and even at the knee of my much loved grandfather who passed away when I was only 7.
They told me that the Dove brings peace of the deepest kind. It soothes and quiets our worried and troubled thoughts, and helps us to find answers in the silence of our minds. In these moments of stillness we are able to appreciate the simple things in life. Mourning Doves are optimistic and spiritual. 'Be gentle like the Dove', they'd say, 'Doves give us a song of life, hope, and peace. And in their gentleness they will renew our spirit.'
So somehow I chose the photo to go with this quote; they just seemed to fit together. The older we become with life events happening all around us, sometimes we wonder if we have made a difference. Next time you have doubts about yourself, consider the gentle doves and the peace their quiet lives bring to you. We don't have to create a scene or be loud and brassy to touch the lives of others.
Mourning doves are mostly gray or tan with a bit of white tucked into their feathers. They don't wear summer coats of golden yellow nor do they wear winter coats of bright red. They never raise their voices. Yet of all the birds that we see from day to day, the doves might make the most meaningful difference with their soft gray song.
Beautifully said, Sharon. Thank you for the inspiration. I too love the mourning doves who come for the seeds I throw out every morning. (Including just a few minutes ago. I'm afraid I am just a little late. They are being covered with snow at the moment. Not many takers today. Probably taking cover for the storm we're expecting. But a few brave sparrows will at least be able to wait it out with full stomachs.)
Name: Sally central Maryland slef employed writier
Sharon, thank you for your writing here! You expressed something wonderful and comforting for quiet people. The world can only stand so many movers and shakers....
Zany, you made me laugh loud and long in your first post here!
;^0
"If you bring joy and enthusiasm to everything you do, people will think you're crazy" W. Haelfeli, New Yorker cartoon
