{"id":3043,"date":"2021-10-12T16:22:59","date_gmt":"2021-10-12T21:22:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mindfulwalker.com\/?p=3043"},"modified":"2021-10-12T18:29:33","modified_gmt":"2021-10-12T23:29:33","slug":"the-gifts-of-the-heron","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mindfulwalker.com\/wordpress\/columns\/the-gifts-of-the-heron","title":{"rendered":"The Gifts of the Heron"},"content":{"rendered":"

A young bird is a proof of new life asserting itself. This is no small lesson at a time of a global pandemic.<\/p>\n

Almost every day for the past few months, a juvenile Great Blue Heron has been frequenting and standing on the shallow edges of the pond, pool, and wetland area of the SUNY New Paltz campus. This young heron is beautiful, majestic, and self-possessed. Life has felt so different now, in this time of the Covid-19 pandemic \u2013 slower, quieter, at times disorienting. A heron’s patient rituals have been quite a comfort.<\/p>\n

Always, and ever more so since the pandemic flared in the spring of 2020, walking has been centering and peaceful. For this past 18 months, walks have provided solace, beauty, and the affirmation of nature and the seasons, a source of strength in addition to dear ones, prayer, and a sense of purpose. Once the world closed in on lockdown, SUNY New Paltz\u2019s lovely campus and some of the preserves and trails near home became the universe, a feeling many others have expressed about the environs near where they live. More than ever, observing the trees, flowers, plants, skies, ridgelines, birds, and wildlife nearby, with their changes through the seasons, symbolizes the rituals of life, of enduring a pandemic that has caused so much suffering.<\/p>\n

Into this world came the young Great Blue Heron and, at times, a couple of fellow herons. A heron\u2019s stillness is mesmerizing. Not to say that she doesn\u2019t move, but everything is well-considered. Often, the heron stares at a spot in the water, and then suddenly stabs with her sharp bill to nab a fish and swallow it whole. Beyond these times of darting for prey, the Great Blue Heron\u2019s absolute lack of movement amazes, as the bird stands and peers for many, many minutes without moving its head, body, and long, thin legs. The eyes maintain a singular focus. Then, without warning, the bird lifts in flight with graceful flaps of her wide wings.<\/p>\n

\"Beautiful<\/a>