Fox sparrows are winter visitors to the Northwest, and I was fortunate to see one up close. He was foraging for food by hopping forward and backward, kicking leaves aside to expose fallen plant seeds. I could feel his delight as he uncovered seed after seed. Just watching him made me smile.
This gleeful little sparrow reminded me of a toddler I recently met in the forest. His mother called him Charlie…a sturdy little boy, 15 months old, bundled in his navy blue snow suit and red boots. He toddled from plant to plant, kicking leaves, and picking up sticks. Charlie’s gleeful expression said it all. He was having the time of his life.
His mother shared that in his short life, Charlie had been in the woods often. But he had only experienced the forest from a backpack baby carrier. This was Charlie’s first time walking on the forest path. And Charlie was in heaven...
As I enjoyed the little fox sparrow's exuberance and remembered Charlie’s ear-to-ear grin, I smiled. What a great reminder of all the joy and delight to be found in the natural world.
How lucky are we…
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