February 18, 2020
I have seen at least one hawk or bird of prey flying above me for the past four days in a row. It can’t hurt that my distance vision is the best it’s ever been since my cataract surgeries in the past month. I first noticed these beautiful creatures while visiting my friend this weekend. She lives in a condo building and has a fantastic view from the floor to ceiling windows that line her living room. On my drive back to Charlotte on Sunday, I noticed more birds floating on the horizon in front of my car and started to ponder why they might be catching my attention at this time.
The first thought I had about this synchronicity was the idea of perspective. I have been bogged down lately by dipping my toe back into the dating pool. I activated my internal (and dramatic!) teenager during this endeavor, dredging up a lot of awkward intensity. But sometimes you just have to jump in and see what happens. No regrets that I did that, but I am also clear now that I’m not able to continue the new relationship for a myriad of reasons. What I would like is a better understanding of myself and what I learned over the past three months. I know that will come with time and much like the birds flying above, some distance from the situation will help me see what still feels a bit murky.
A soaring bird also draws my eyes up to the sky and so the idea of “heaven” or spirituality sort of naturally follows. I always want to be open to guidance from spiritual sources. But I also had a comforting thought: simply shifting my point of view is of value. Sometimes I apply unnecessary pressure on myself to get things “right” (which begs the question, “According to whom?”). It was freeing to remind myself to just be curious and open.
Adjusting my perspective can happen in many ways. One obvious example is to really hear and care about someone else’s experience. Another is being open to reading or listening to the insights and expertise of others (including friends, family, a mentor or expert). Simply not responding or not acting in the same way over and over again and doing something, anything, different in a given situation can change my experience and attitude. And of course many things are out of my control, such as the way another person behaves or how the Universe unfolds in my little part of the world. Often my point of view, like it or not, is changed for me. But again, even when I may not be comfortable with change or unexpected events, I can be mindful of and shift my beliefs and reactions to what is occurring.
Charlotte is a city that has a lot of tall, beautiful oak, maple and pine trees and is therefore a habitat for many birds. I will continue to see and hear hawks, kestrels and owls. I appreciate the cue from nature to be like a bird: intensely alive, present and willing to fly.
NN