The Friend and the Feather Faith

 

Feeding birds

 

 

He held out his hand in hope that the seagull would take the bread from his hand.

At first both the seagull and French Husband were a little shy of one another.

Though the seagull kept flying around, then closer, studying and at last felt sure of French Husband.

 

 

 

Feeding birds by hand

 

I asked French Husband if he wasn't a tad bit scared that the seagull might bite his hand. He grinned, "Hell ya," then after a second of reflection added, "But it will be worth the intimacy of contact."

 

 

Feather friend

 

I thought about that as the seagull and the man slowly attempted to trust one another, as they looked into each other's eyes.

 

              Letting go of fear… trusting.

 

It became a meditation of sort, a moment of deep reflection for five minutes. I love how prayer, reflection, meditation can do that. Like deep sea diving straight to the center and back.

Like the seagull and French Husband, reaching for contact… intimacy… for a brief period of time, that would become a longer memory held.

Food for thought. Feeding the soul. 

 

 

Bird in hand

 

Trust.

As if it were so simple.

The more we give the more we receive. 

To be one and the other at the same time.

 

 

In flight

 

 

And so both reached out, both gave and received.

 

 

Birds of a feather

 

The unexpected: Today I will feed a seagull and call it prayer.

 

 

Feathered friend

 

It was an ordinary day.

 

Holy spirit

 

Holy Spirit.

May we continue to reach out, extend ourselves, trust and let go.



Comments

20 responses to “The Friend and the Feather Faith”

  1. There is a good book called Love is Letting Go of Fear.
    We hold ourselves back in so many ways without even knowing.

  2. Shelley Noble

    Beautiful. Poetry. Photo essay. Brilliant.

  3. Won a door prize at a luncheon for behind the scenes at the Atlanta, GA Zoo.
    A full grown elephant ate from my hands.
    One of my life’s best moments.
    Thank you for reminding me.
    Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

  4. Sigh, I needed that. However did you know?

  5. What a simple, beautiful prayer. Thank you Corey

  6. Amen, Corey. And, thank you, God, for guiding me toward the path of following a very special friend whose words impact my life on a daily basis.

  7. paula s in new mexico

    Hug

  8. I love this post!

  9. Susan Fuquay

    Breathtaking … thank you!

  10. Beautiful.

  11. Beautiful post, Corey. “Today I will feed a seagull and call it prayer”….I will use that as my morning meditation.

  12. Teddee Grace

    “…the intimacy of contact.” Thanks for putting that into words. I still remember the featherlight feel of the tiny feet of a chipmunk that gathered the courage to take a peanut off my bare back when I was sunbathing on vacation at a cabin in far north Saskatchewan, Canada, many years ago. Amazingly wonderful.

  13. Beautifully written, Corey! I loved the photos too.

  14. I don’t know if I’ve written to you re another book that goes beautifully with your reflections (since it’s a one-sided conversation…) but I really think you’d appreciate it greatly. It’s
    EAT PRAY LOVE by Elizabeth Gilbert;
    it underlines most beautifully much of what we believe in and sometimes can’t describe…
    Happy reading!

  15. Linda P.

    Wonderful post today with its reminder to look at all interactions with an open heart and open palm.

  16. love the photo + the poem. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

  17. Where were you, Corey, for FH to have this encounter?! Thank you for sharing…

  18. YES indeed, trust, a wonderful thing ~ xo

  19. Rebecca from the pacific northwest

    Amen.

  20. I love how you see the prayer in simple things and the beauty in small moments. There is something sacred about interacting with the smaller creatures around us..I once held a hummingbird in my hand, as I had to release him from getting his beak stuck in my screen. It’s something so precious and rare I shall never forget.

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