If you were to come to our front door today, you would see two pansy baskets hanging in the front stoop area. One is perky. The other is droopy and wilted, but with good reason. Mama Robin declared this pansy basket was hers, and no matter how often my husband discarded the beginnings of a nest, there is now a perfectly formed nest with two eggs in it. Obviously, watering the pansy basket is out of the question.
I am sorry to disturb Mama Robin as she sits on her eggs peeking out over the pansy blossoms, but she has chosen, after all, a busy location. Whenever I get the paper or the mail or just need to leave the house, she flutters away and scolds me. Instead of her usual cheerily, cheer up, cheer up, cheerily, cheer up call, I am likely to hear something more strident. A mother's frustrated, "Just what do you think you are doing?" I do understand, for I know how long it took us to find our new home, and when you know it is right, well, it's right.
Robins seem to build nests where we can enjoy them, too. They have adapted to civilization, accepting people as neighbors and regarding our structures as logical places for their nests. They seem to think we are delighted when they build their nests over our doorways or on a wreath on the front door or under a garage overhang. This is the price we pay, I guess, for eagerly awaiting the first robins of spring. They have become our neighbors as much as the family across the street with four kids and a dog.
Connecticut, Michigan and Wisconsin all claim the robin as their state bird, and the European robin is Britain's national bird. Calvin Simonds in his book Private Lives of Garden Birds says, "The American robin is much more properly our national bird than is the bald eagle." He continues:
The bald eagle is representative of America's predatory
and scavenging frontier past. The robin represents our
conservative, contemporary present. He's the bird of
Main Street--neither the struggling downtown part of
Main Street nor the part on the outskirts of town where
it threads its way past gas stations and restaurants and
passes under the interstate. The robins' world is the part
of Main Street that passes through comfortable neighbor-
hoods where quiet lawns stretch out under the shade of
oaks and maples and perhaps even the delicate fronds
of an elm. Here the robins strut on the lawns and protest
indignantly at any disturbance to their domain. p. 98.
I consulted a couple bird books and once the eggs are hatched--only two in this case and normally, there are four--the babies will be in the nest for about 14 days. Mama and Papa will scatter the pieces of the cracked egg shells in places outside of their territory in an attempt to fool any predators, but that won't work with me. I will continue to disturb and worry them every time I open the front door. I wish Mama could understand I mean them no harm, and they are welcome to stay as long as they need to, but her protective instincts are strong and she will do what she needs to do to care for her offspring.
I must admit, however, as much as I am enjoying observing this seasonal surge towards new life, I wish I could sit on the front stoop and enjoy these spring days, which seem to have finally arrived. All in good time.
An Invitation
What signs of spring have invited your attention this year? In what ways have you been invited to watch and wait? I would love to know.
I feel a surge of creative energy. Ideas are flowing:
* Topics for this blog,
* Possibilities for additional blogs,
* Plans for groups I would like to start here in Madison and/or in St Paul--a circle of women exploring their retirement years, a reflective writing group combining spirituality and writing practice, and spiritual direction groups,
* Visions of writing projects, large and small,
* Ways to do life review or journal writing workshops in senior living facilities.
I am almost hesitant to go for a walk or to meditate, for those quiet times often result in even more ideas, but then so does sitting on the front porch doing classwork for the online class on blogging I am taking or transcribing journal entries for one of my writing projects.
Where is this surge of creativity coming from? And why right now?
Perhaps the robin knows. Often when I am on the front porch and I glance away from my laptop screen or book page, I notice a robin perched on my car's side mirror. I have started greeting this robin when I see it. "Good morning, Robin." "It's already afternoon, Robin." "I've had a busy day, Robin. What about you?" I enjoy its presence, and I wonder if the robin has a message for me.
Totems and Their Spiritual Messages
One of my most consulted books is Animal Speak, The Spiritual and Magical Powers of Creatures Great and Small by Ted Andrews. When I felt the frequent presence of a wolf in my dream life, I discovered that wolves are a symbol for "teacher," and I became more aware of how my essence is a teacher. When I realized how often I noticed hawks when I was walking or driving, I consulted the book yet again and learned that the hawk is a "messenger." The message has not always been clear, but I have been reminded to open to what was on the wing. At other times I have read the pages about herons, eagles, turkeys, and bear.
According to Native American spirituality, wolf and hawk and the others are my totems. Totems are sources of energy with which you may feel closely associated for a lifetime or for certain periods of your life. Totems can create awareness of yourself and your connection to Spirit.
I wondered if Mrs. Robin is a new totem in my life. Robin, says Andrews, is a symbol for the "spread of new growth." If a robin appears in your life, "expect new growth to occur in a variety of areas in your life." The book mentions the fact that robins can raise more than one brood a year, symbolizing the "activation of the creative life force."
I feel a resurgence of the creative force in my life.
I thought surely we would be moving from this house and downsizing into another by now. I thought my creative energies would be engaged fully into settling into a new home, but, alas, that has not happened. Instead, it seems I have an opening in the creative energy department. I have "found" time in which my creativity can thrive again. Perhaps I am coming out of the retirement cocoon I have experienced since moving to Madison five years ago.
My husband says Mrs. Robin has a nest in the neighbor's magnolia tree. I accept that, but I also think she has an encouraging message for me. "I am here to remind you that you are not done and creativity is alive and well within you." "Thank you," I say.
An Invitation
I invite you to pay attention to animals that often occur physically in your life or when you meditate or dream. Consider the message they may have for you. And if your creativity needs a boost, look to the nearest robin!
