It Happened Twice

It Happened Twice

By John W. Vander Velden

We enjoy watching hummingbirds that visit the feeder and flowers each summer. These small flyers seem at times fearless and shy at others, and when the light hits them just right their feather shine as jewels.  But it happened twice which makes the event more amazing.  For on two occasions one of these winged wonders flew into the shed which we us as our garage.  Perhaps it was a young bird or just disoriented, but flyer became trapped there.  We left the two large doors open for hours so it might leave as it came.  However the hummer stayed high in the rafters searching for exists at the underside of the roof’s peak…exits that did not exist.  The metabolism of hummingbirds is high, they do not survive long without food, and we feared for the small creature.

Twice I climbed a ladder and while the flitting bird focused upward searching for a gateway to its freedom, I carefully captured the hummer with my cap. I am fascinated by the small birds, impressed by their amazing flying ability – they can fly backward – but also by their size – or lack of it.  Though they are not the smallest of creatures they are tiny.  Birds have many things in common with us, so we understand a bit of how the mechanics work – they have lungs and a heart for instance, blood flows through vessels and muscles move their small feet and buzzing wings.

These wonderful winged warrior are the smallest of birds, and though I had watched them many time, I did not realize how small.  But holding a hummingbird in cupped hands and knowing that the animal could fly within that space, brought home its size.  And to consider that with in my hands this tiny living thing had, beneath a coat of delicate feathers all the organs my body contained, took my breath away.

I called for Nick and Jackie to meet me in the yard.  There in the yard with those I hold most dear, I slowly opened my hand.  The green backed flyer remained but a half second before it shot skyward – up – up— up -- and at last a tiny speck that disappeared from our sight.  It happened twice – twice I held a miracle in the palm of my hand.   (382 Words)

Miracles

Miracles               11-22-2014

By John W. Vander Velden

We live in a technical age, and believe we can explain everything.  Advances in science show secrets that have until recently eluded us.  It comes therefor that the term miracle carries little weight.  A word that belongs to the unenlightened…a word that described what had once been unexplainable…but of things now understood.  Yet with each new discovery other questions arise.  And though we may feel that each question will one day shed its secrets, have we ignored the possibilities of the unexplainable.

Should we not take care to open our minds to concepts beyond present understanding?  For some feel if it cannot be explained it does not exist.  I find that view far too narrow.  For we are surrounded by things only recently discovered.  Did they not exist before? 

Have we allowed ourselves to be isolated from “the mud and blood” of life, certain that we understand what is real and what is not.  How fortunate I have been to have lived immersed in earthy realities of my life’s profession – not that each experience was pleasant.  But I have heard the first gasp of breath of a newborn calf.  Observed, as on spindly unsteady legs, it made its first attempts to stand.  I have watched rows of corn grow.  Hurried as summer storm clouds came marching across the sky.  My life has been bound to the sun and seasons– to planting and harvest – to births and deaths. 

You see no matter how hard we try to explain – everything – even the explanations reveal miracles at work.  Each of us are surrounded by wonders explainable and not.  My world is filled with miracles…and so is yours.  

(274 Words)