All is Right

Sunday, April 20, 2025

Sunrise, April 8, 2025

Stepping out my front door for the first time in a week, I heard a chipping sparrow rattling at the top of a nearby tree. I stopped to listen and noticed a huge grin has spread across my face. I’d been sick for a week but suddenly all was right with the world.

Chipping sparrow (taken last April, but soon our leaves will look like this too!)

I walked, slowly and not too far, and listened. Cardinals are singing, robins are chasing each other two and fro, and a flock of grackles flies overhead. I am home and all is right with the world.

God bless the singers. (Northern cardinal)

It’s been a challenging two weeks. It started with a simple head cold. Then the dishwasher leaked and buckled my kitchen floor, requiring water remediation to prevent mold. Then that simple cold virus decided to visit my gut and release a lot more mayhem. Yet through it all, there are moments that tell me all is right with the world.

Ducks in the air, as there should be in April. (northern shovelers)

During my brief hospital stay, a visitor to one of the patients on the ward was bringing dozens of cut lilacs every day. The whole floor smelled of lilacs. They even let me put a few in my room, on the windowsill, and briefly all was right with the world.

At least I didn’t miss the lilac bloom!

From my fifth-floor room, I saw crows fly way down below. A flock of swallows swirled by one day and a red-tailed hawk would often soar over the nearby field. Each bird I saw reminded me that no matter what was happening inside, all was right with the world.

Tree swallow fighter pilot, on approach.

I stood outside while waiting for a follow up appointment at my doctor on Friday morning, after the virus had finally decided to depart. They asked me why I was standing outside instead of sitting inside and I pointed to the brown thrasher singing his R2D2 song at the top of the tree.

Brown thrasher singing away. I feel confident R2D2 got his voice from brown thrashers.

There’s one thing that has always told me I was home and all would be ok - a hug from my dad. That will always be the gold standard. It’s heartwarming to know that the smallest nods from nature can also tell me I am home and I will be ok.

Wish I could have taken a photo of the red-tailed hawk that was soaring below me! That’s not a view I get often.

My favorite movie of all time is “Pride of the Yankees” (the Lou Gehrig story). I found myself thinking of Gehrig’s iconic line many times this week: “Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” Does that seem strange? Perhaps, but it’s when things go wrong I so deeply appreciate this life I’m living.

“The sun’ll come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there’ll be sun…” (March 28, 2025)

As I gently return to my routines, I accept that I’m not at full strength. I did my PT exercises for the first time in a week but had to back off on the reps. I went for a walk but kept it short. I didn’t take my camera to the lake because I would surely overdo it - the rainy weekend will help keep me in check. I’m writing a post and it may not be my best. Yet with all of these, I am doing it.

Soon I’ll be ready to catch meadowlarks in flight again! - but I rarely have photos of the tail and wings spread so this one was pretty exciting!

All week long, the support I needed showed up when I needed it. It’s been a very expensive week (hello high deductible insurance) but I’m grateful I HAVE insurance and medical care available. My family and neighbors were so helpful and kind, taking care of things at my house and supporting me with their love.

My friends and family have been like, “we are on it!” (pied-billed grebe)

My body is resilient. I am home in more ways than one. I am supported and loved. The remaining ingredient is patience, which is the way I live self-compassion right now.

Mr. blue had to patiently wait for his human fishing buddy to catch and deliver his fish. Apparently he comes to collect his fish every morning. Smart bird.

I went for a brief walk on Saturday and watched two turkey vultures making baby turkey vultures on top of a nearby house, which caused me to burst out in laughter. I’ve seen lots of birds “do it”, but that was by far the most entertaining - and longest! Laughter is the right medicine and exactly the kind of support I needed today.

If only I had my camera! But this photo of a turkey vulture in flight will have to do.

I have no idea if this post has come together in a coherent thought. What I do know is that there’s a goldfinch singing in the willow tree outside my window and all is right with the world.

Mr. goldfinch looking so dapper in his fresh spring feathers.

I unfortunately missed the trout lily bloom for this year, so I’m including a link to last year’s post here: