Finding joy in the day and developing resilience are skills that take practice. It is very easy to become distracted by the weeds and sticks that can litter our path in life and totally miss the things that make us happy.
On a walk recently with my dog, it occurred to me that I am so much a part of the natural world around me that I "belong" simply because I exist. I don't know what brought on this thought but as soon as I acknowledged it, I felt lighter and actually smiled a little.
Life with a chronic illness is a daily adventure into the unknown and the challenges that go hand in hand with daily living. I handle the ups and downs a lot better when I remember to look for the things that I am grateful for and that bring me joy.
This past weekend was the annual Great Backyard Bird Count. I have loved birds since I was in elementary school and I enjoy participating in this event. Essentially you record birds that you observe and log them with one of two apps available or online. It's a little citizen science to help track bird populations.
So, on my morning walk with my dog, I pulled out my app to record the bird sounds that I heard. Let me just say that birding by ear is a real thing and, thankfully so. Binoculars are definitely standard equipment for birdwatching, but learning birdsongs is a great asset.
Returning home I reviewed my list and once I was certain of what I had heard I logged my sightings. There are a lot of birds in my immediate area and living in the Pacific Flyway more or less ensures there are lots of species to observe.
I took this picture in 2015. I was lucky that year to get an up close look at nest building, hatching and fledging of the robin chicks. I don't know if birds find joy in their songs but like this mama robin protecting her chicks from the rain, they are resilient.
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