It was a cool sunny afternoon when I spotted this little bird taking a bath at the edge of a pond. He splashed and chirped and flapped his wings, and then flew to a branch and began preening. Then the next bird hopped into the water, and then one more. I realized I had come upon a bird swimming hole.
These little creatures seemed so joyous and carefree. Not a worry in the world. And I smiled, very grateful for a peek into their bird world.
As I watched them splash, I pondered on all I’m grateful for in my life. And I noticed that when I focused on being grateful, my human concerns faded. And I had a wondering.
Could gratitude be an antidote for the human worries and anxious thoughts that often creep into my mind? I suspected I might be on to something...
After a while, the little birds disappeared into the trees, and my heart smiled with deep appreciation for all the nature beings I’ve met.
And in that moment of gratitude, I was free as a bird…
(Additional photos: wandernature.com/new-photos)