I could see how absurd it was to fight over something so plentiful. There was enough nectar for any hummingbird that could possibly find our little feeder. I knew because I was the hummingbird feeder filler. I had access to an infinite supply of nectar and I would be diligent in keeping it full for my little friends.
It occurred to me … we are like the hummingbirds.
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9 comments:
Yes! I've thought the same thing--not specifically about hummingbirds fighting over nectar but about how there are so many lessons we can learn from watching other creatures. Just the other day I saw a swarm of small flies feasting on berries that had fallen from a tree. "Such opportunists!" I thought to myself. I don't want to be opportunistic in a greedy, step-on-others kind of way. But I'd love to have so little fear, so little self-consciousness that without a moment of hesitation, I would go for what gives me joy.
I had to laugh as I read this entry, thinking about all the times I have worried myself (and loved ones) to shreds when, with a little patience and focus and lots of deep breaths, what would happen is that what was needed, was provided. If only we could learn to stop for a second and trust that a higher power is, in fact, providing for us. I, for one, don't have the stamina (or the metabolism, darn it!) of those hummingbirds!
Loved your posts!
And if only I had the metabolism of a hummingbird.
I watched them again today. I find the pictures of hummingbirds feeding together most interesting. The breed I observe NEVER feeds together.
The nectar cup runneth over, but they have no clue! :)
How true - there is always enough, even when we can't see it!
Yes, there is always enough - even when we can't see it!
Yesterday, there was a hummingbird in my garage. It stayed there for several hours flying around constantly near the ceiling. If only it had come down about 2 feet, it would have seen the HUGE garage door opening that would give it the freedom it was seeking. I wanted to help it, to show it the way out, but I knew that I would only hurt it in the process. Sure enough, I left it alone and a few hours later, it was gone. That little hummingburd had to have been completely worn out and frazzled from all of that flitting about, searching for a way out. That was my impression anyway, and how I would have felt. Maybe that little bird was just having fun? Or was looking for something that I couldn't see. None of my worries helped or mattered to that hummingbird - in the end, all was fine and dandy. And maybe it learned a lesson - sometimes it's better to fly low!
Your post reminded me of a time I saw a bird trying to get around a telephone pole. It fly up and down and up and down...for some reason not seeing that it could have flown side to side. Eventually it made it over the top and flew away.
Again, it made me think about how similar we are to nature. How often did I go up and down, up and down, when I could have so easily gone left or right and reached my destination so much sooner. :)
Isn't it amazing what we can learn from nature! Isn't it amazing what we can learn from a blog like yours!
I know it's a bit political for this blog but perhaps we can be informed by these hummingbirds as we go to the polls to vote for our leaders as well as in in our every day confrontation.
The other day we had a furious woman, pregnant, who felt my husband had violated her territory because he (quite accidently) cut in fron of her in a parking structure. She didn't consider that she was going too fast and we didn't take her spot. She was wild. Got out of her car and shook her fist. I'm thinking, what a waste of energy. A little kindness (and understanding) goes such a long way.
Carolyn
After reading your blog the very next morning I was standing in the kitchen looking out of the window and there in front of me was a hummingbird looking in at me! I don't have feeders anywhere so there really was not a reason for the little guy to be there but it reminded me that life is so simple and to just take a minute to enjoy the little things.
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