I set out to see the egrets but they were gone. There are things
in nature I can watch for hours, lightning storms, meteor showers and egrets on
water are some. The wingspan of an egret is roughly two feet less than that of
an eagle. In stillness their white regalia makes forest backgrounds fade. Majestic
and elegant flying over water, still captivating, though not as dramatic as an
eagle stretching out to snatch a fish from the water (go watch a Mark Smith video). The egrets are gone from the rookery. To return in Spring. The cycle of
seasons.
The question on the intake form, “Do you think of death?” I
answered no (I lied) and handed the form back to the masked lady behind the
desk. I think of death often. It seems a natural thought process. I mean, the
song that put Marc Scibilia on the charts begins, “I’ve been thinking about
dying, and how that’s gonna be…” In Christ it’s the air we breathe; crucified
savior, cruciform life. Even Solomon says, “It is better to go into a house of
mourning, for that is the end of every man, and it causes the living to take
notice.” Maybe I should have answered yes to that question. The question should
read, “Do you think about death without hope?”
My hope is to photograph an egret in it’s glide over the water.
White wings shimmering in reflection, all creation still and silent. And why
head to the rookery? To quote Lewis, “But nature gave the word glory a meaning
for me. I still do not know where else I could have found one.” For nature
awakens in us longings for another world. I glimpse that in the egret.
Photo by Akshat Adsule on Unsplash
No comments:
Post a Comment