What Kind of Bird
By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation; they sing among the branches. – Psalm 104:12 (NRSV)
This morning, like many mornings, I walked around a nearby pond. Across the pond there was a rock rising out of the water, and on the rock was perched a bird. The bird was tall and dark, but it was not a heron. Its neck was longer than its legs, its beak was tangerine orange, and its tail feathers were arranged in thick V-shaped clumps. The bird was close enough for me to see it clearly, but far enough away that a picture on my phone couldn’t generate an AI answer to “What kind of bird is this?”
Even without knowing its name or species, or whether it was a seasonal visitor or a year-round resident, the beauty of the bird was enough to generate a moment of awe. I stood still and stared while the bird politely ignored me and continued its preening.
I have been trained to identify and categorize everything I encounter—animals, plants, people, agendas—but this encounter called on me to quiet the longing to know more and appreciate what was before me. In that moment, it was enough to say to the bird, “There you are, and here I am, and how wonderful it is that God made us both.”
Prayer
For today, may awe be enough. Amen.
Liz Miller serves as the Designated Pastor of Granby Congregational Church, UCC and is the author of Only Work Sundays: A Laidback Guide to Doing Less while Helping Your Church Thrive.