Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Dark Clouds and Brambles

It seems as if spring is in hibernation these past few days, taken hostage by raw winds and steady rain. The sunshine I long for is oppressed by gray skies that never seem to break. My mood reflects the dreariness as I force myself out of bed each morning to start the day. I open my weary eyes and listen to raindrops hitting my window as I long for another 15 minutes of sleep that cannot be.


On days filled with sunshine, I spring out of bed, eager to start the work day and hope I can catch glimpses of nature during breaks. There are no signs of nature in downtown Worcester today, just colorful umbrellas buzzing by my window hiding faces of pedestrians seeking shelter from the drizzle. The Peregrines are hiding too and don't come out unless they have to find food. The only bird life I can see are house sparrows eating seed upon damp grass that turns greener each day.


Toward the end of the day, I glance out the window and resign myself to the fact that
the dark clouds are too much for me to venture outside and I think about what I will do when I get home. Lost in my feelings of pity, I daydream of spring and bird song. I am brought back to reality by an email that flashes across my screen. Sad News it says, my heart drops a bit as I open it and read with pain that a fellow co-worker of mine died last night of a heart attack. He had just emailed me yesterday and I sat there with a sense of overwhelming sadness and a sudden appreciation for life. He went home from work yesterday just as I did and now he is no longer on this earth. It certainly put things in perspective for me as I washed away my pity and mourned for my co-worker.

I left the office and decided to make a pit stop to the cemetery in Grafton. I needed to get away for a while with my camera and see life to escape the thoughts of death if only for a while. Despite the dreary skies, the sounds of blackbirds and grackles filled the wetlands which comforted me. I looked for the Pileated Woodpecker but he was nowhere around. Hmmmm, I thought. Perhaps they have abandoned their nest and moved somewhere else. Suddenly I heard his manic call and drumming and determined he was to the far right of the wetlands.

As I was walking by I saw some Wood Ducks far away in the waters. The Mandarin was nowhere to be found.


A Grackle perches itself on a rock in the middle of the water surveying the landscape.

I search for the woodpecker and realize he is in an area of the wetlands I have never seen before. I trudge through the brush determined to find him and get lost in a maze of brambles. The branches scratch my skin and I get down real low to pass by some of the wild growth that seems to never end. Finally I find a clearing and go toward it to escape the brush. There are dozens of birds in this hidden oasis singing away as they look for nesting material. I look at this area and am in awe of its beauty. There are more Wood Ducks here and a few Mallards as well. The Bluebirds I have been looking for are here and a tiny stream trickles where a Robin has stopped for a drink. I suppose it would make sense that the birds would be here as it appears that people don't come here much based upon the maze I had to go through. I sit on a stump for a while and reflect on life. After a while I venture home for dinner with my children and I realize I am very lucky indeed. Life is precious I think as I trudge through the brambles and back toward the gray clouds which I am suddenly grateful for. Yes life is indeed precious.

21 comments:

Shelley said...

I am so sorry to hear about your co-worker. We spend so much time in an office setting w/ our co-workers that they become like family so I could not imagine losing one of my former colleagues.
Nice spot on the wood ducks. It seems like everyone is seeing them but me.

Rick (Ratty) said...

I can identify with everything you've written here. Losing a coworker who is also a friend is a hard thing that I have also experienced. Your nature walk is very similar to what I do very often, especially the dreary weather the last few days. I felt like I was seeing it all happen with every word.

Anonymous said...

So sorry for the loss of your co-worker. Each minute of every day is precious; there's always something to be grateful for but sometimes it takes a wake up call like this to remember.

Dawn Fine said...

Sorry about the loss of your co worker.
I guess it does show how fragile life is...and how we should make every moment special.

Take care.

Amy said...

So sorry to hear about your colleague. A sudden unexpected death is never easy.

Ginnymo said...

What a sad day for you. I'm sorry that you lost your co-worker. It's too bad it had to be such a gloomy day too. Thank heavens the birds are still out in the bad weather. I like your photos. See! You managed to get some despite a bad day. Thanks so much for stopping by my blogs too!! I hope tomorrow will be a better day for you. Hugs. Ginny

Betsy Banks Adams said...

What a wonderful post, Kim. You express emotions better than most anyone. I'm so sorry about your co-worker. What a shock. I'm sure that when I have my Pity Parties, something like that would shock me back into reality... Life is precious---every moment.

Take care my friend!!! Get some rest tonight. Tomorrow will be a brand new, precious day!
Hugs,
Betsy

Kim said...

Thanks all. This co-worker actually worked in our Pennsylvania office. I worked with him mostly through email but did meet him face to face last month at our day long off site.

I guess it just hits home sometimes. Between that and Dawn's post about her dear friend she lost, it just puts things back into reality.

Kelly said...

...Kim, I'm so sorry for your loss. Your entry today is beautiful.

ShySongbird said...

How very sad to hear of the loss of your colleague Kim. I am often overwhelmed by such reminders of how tenuous life is.

Anonymous said...

I love the woodpeckers but only saw a Pileated here across the street once in 47 years. It sounds like you see them all the time. I enjoyed reading your post and admiring your photography.

Tina said...

Kim,
I am so very sorry to hear about your co-worker and am glad you made time to find that wood duck and the little bluebird (of happiness)! Seeing or hearing about sad events of family and friends is always an awakening for me..and, again, makes me realize just how lucky I am..'perspective' is indeed the word. It takes my problems and makes them seem small in comparison to those of others..
a quote I love is by John Burroughs.."I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order."
I hope you have a better day and will think of your friend and his family. :)

MaineBirder said...

Sorry to hear about the loss of your co-worker Kim. It reminds us how short life can be.

I love the new look and the name of your blog.

Allison said...

Life is precious, that is for sure. Nature is so good at providing us peace.

Mary said...

Sorry about your co-worker. Escaping with your camera helps bring peace back to a world that is temporarily off-center. Nature is there when nothing else seems right. I love the shot of the grackle with its reflection.

Richard said...

Kim...I find it quite inspirational that you find so much life and inner peace in a cemetery.

Blessings come from many places.

Deborah Godin said...

Such moving thoughts on life and death, and a touching elegy for your co-worker. You photos, excellent always, seem especially in sync today. Take care!

Jayne said...

I am so very sorry to hear about your co-worker Kim. Life is indeed short and none of us is guaranteed tomorrow. Glad you were able to take a few moments to be out in the air with the birds and ponder everything we have to be thankful for each day. Hugs to you.

NCmountainwoman said...

Oh, yes. Life is so precious. So sorry about your friend. Getting out with the birds was a good idea.

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend said...

So sorry for your los...but love finding your blog.....I love it.

Hope you will stop by my blog. I am a new blogger. This is my second month in the world of BLOG. I am great give away this month. This drawing will be the last day of April.
Every comment you leave throughout the month will enter your name in the drawing. This NEW blogger was so touched by all the comments I got on the Blog Party Give Away,(over 300) that I decided to make this a monthly GIFT...
Also, if you mention blog telling about the monthly giveaway, you will have your name entered 10 extra times...Just be sure and let me know that you did. How is that for an incentive?
I was so blown away by all the responses that I wanted to email each person personally... I did love reading all of them..I am continuing to introduce my family members. In May, there will be some fun blogs coming from Disney World with the grandkids. I hope to blog every night, in case you like a good trip report. And there will also be a great Disney giveaway.
I am so thankful for all my new friends.

Heather said...

I am very sorry to hear about the loss of your co-worker. May nature provide you peace whenever you need it.

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