Ciara: In your guide, you fantastically weave your private story with encounters and reflections on particular birds. For instance, in your chapter on loss of life, you convey up vultures, in your chapter on peace, doves. Are you able to choose one instance and unpack the symbolism and metaphor {that a} particular hen holds for you? Can these of us who should not (but!) birders study one thing too?
Courtney: One among my favourite chapters was on magnificence and corvids. The Corvid household contains crows, jackdaws, ravens, jays, and nutcrackers. These birds are extremely good. One examine confirmed that the American Crow is as good as the common fourth grader! Additionally they have a little bit of a popularity as bully birds. Most of us have seen a Blue Jay drive a smaller hen away from a nest, or a crow steal a child’s lunch, or a raven pestering a hawk. However right here’s the factor: corvids are actually, actually good at being corvids. They’re uniquely clever, they usually use these smarts to outlive in habitats that always squeeze out extra fragile species.
As I’ve approached midlife, I’ve needed to make peace with what I’m and what I’m not, realizing that God uniquely creates and presents every considered one of us. I’m very no-nonsense. I’m extremely pushed. I are likely to have a number of robust opinions. And these have been all the time issues I attempted to mute about myself or play down. I typically felt ashamed of them. However as I studied corvids I started to see that their brashness was a part of their energy. God has created them with a sure hardiness to make use of for his or her good and God’s glory. I’ve realized by watching the corvids that I can (and may!) all the time search to continue to grow in gentleness and kindness, but in addition that my interior drive and want for readability are particular strengths which can be stunning in their very own method.
For these much less desirous about birds, there are such a lot of stunning classes about main themes woven into the material of creation. If birds aren’t your factor, maybe it’s the spring bloom or a burgeoning thunderstorm or the best way canyons are fashioned over millennia that piques your curiosity. Hold your eyes open. Hold wanting up.
