Sulk

Often I like to envision myself like the image to the left.

I am confident.

I am a beloved child of God.

I am following the Spirit within me.

I am sharing God's Light and Love.

All is well.

I'm connected with my brothers and sisters.

All is right in the world.

But I'm a big girl and know this is not always the case.

Like today.

There are days where I will dig in my heals and fight against what I am guided to do.  

Given our free will, the Spirit will figuratively toss up its hands and warn that we will not be happy.

For today's sulk, I wanted to tweet. I was up early, but after a few tweets, I kept being drawn to work.

Technically, I don't have to be at the office until 8 am, and it was 5:30. I had already emailed my boss that I'll be out with a stomach flu, but I was also expected to generate my weekly reports this morning.

Those reports took a LOT longer than I expected. It may have taken less time if I didn't keep fighting and tried to back to Twitter, or Farmville or anything but work. But even with the fight, they were done by 9 am.

In a half-hour, my boss emailed me with a list of "hot" reports that needed to be done by noon. Then two more reports added to that list, which took me until 1 pm.

By 1 pm, I was physically and mentally exhausted. The flu bug had taken it's toll and I was ready for a nap. But the work was also done; I could sleep in relative peace.

It wasn't until I woke up around 3:30 that I realized how much I was sulking through the morning. It's now 5 pm and I never got back to the tweets that *I* wanted to do. But (as my cell phone rings again from the boss as I type this!) there are other responsibilities.

I cannot easily forget that when I do follow, the mundane work will be slid into the schedule effortlessly as well as all God wants me to do.

Was it God's Will that I tweet today?

Or was it my desire?

I have to face the truth of the matter: am I really following God's Will when I want to do things *my* way?

Or am I just sulking?

And, let's face it, we never out-grow the sulk.

:D

~ ESA

Early Morning Song

Good morning, readers! Many forgot that Jesus / Yeshua is an early riser, though it can be found in the gospels.

In Mark 1:35, "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed."(NIV)

In John 21:4, "Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus."

In John 8:2, "At dawn He appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around Him, and He sat down to teach them."

We may hit the snooze button, groggily locate the coffee fixings, rush through our daily routine before work, or pull our hair out getting the kids up and out the door in time for the school bus.

But if we get up before everyone else in the house, we notice that it's quiet. In some areas, the streets themselves are quiet, even whole towns. One can hear the birds sing even before the first light of day reaches the sky.

It is a time of Peace. It is a time for prayer. It is a time to reflect on our blessings - everywhere.

It is a point at which we can leave the past behind, and start anew, with a song of Joy in our heart.

This is the day

The Lord has made

Let us rejoice

And be glad in it

~ Psalm 118:24

Planting the Seed (Story)

Written about three years ago, it's time to re-post this. Enjoy! ~ ESA

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The early morning sun rose gloriously as two walkers strolled down a quiet New England Main Street.
As they passed a new eatery, the woman grinned mischievously when she read the name: Mustard Seed Cafe. She sipped her coffee and commented, "That sign reminds me of something. Maybe something you said once, about a seed...."

The man laughed, white teeth showing through his beard. "And what did you take away from that one?"

She glanced about, looking for something to inspire a witty reply. "Wasn't there a parable involved...?"

A little wren dove to the sidewalk before them, picked at the concrete block a moment, then fluttered away. "No," she admitted with a wry grin, "The parable in mind involved seed being tossed in different places, each failing save the seed that hit fertile grown and produced hundredfold or something like that."

He chuckled nodding, "...something like that. So what about the mustard seed?"

She grinned as she took another sip from the travel mug. "Little seed becomes big plant. Right?"

His deep brown eyes took on a blend of challenge and mischief, "Maybe you can write a story about it?"

She smirked, "Yeah, right."

He gestured expansively with his arm, "You are a writer; you were given that gift. Write a story about it. Maybe then you'd understand it better."

She took a good swallow of her coffee, while she wrapped her mind around the challenge, knowing there was something there that maybe DID make a good story. As the story shifted to her mental back burner, the conversation changed, covering a broad range of topics.

Before she knew it, they arrived at the topic she needed to broach. Part of her shyly wanted to hold back and digress, but another part knew this is why she asked her companion to walk with her this morning. She really needed his advice, his guidance. She rolled the still-warm metal travel mug between her palms as she searched for the words.

"I... I really don't know what I should be doing with my life. All these little projects get started, and then... they just seem to peeter off into nothing. I feel like I start so many things and just can't seem to finish them. What is it that I should do?"

He draped his arm lovingly across her shoulders and smiled gently. "Plant the seeds."

"And then?"

"Nurture them a little until they sprout."

Her hands paused as she glanced quizzically at him. "And then?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" 

He grinned, seeing she wasn't getting it, but - with infinite patience - gave her the time to think. "Nothing."

She knew that look on his face, she'd seen it before. She walked wordlessly at his side for a spell, fingers wrapped around the warmth of the mug and her shoulders snug in his embrace.

"But if I do nothing, what will happen to all I started? It would just unravel, wouldn't it?"

"Not necessarily." 

Again she shot him an inquiring look, raising one eyebrow in his direction. 

He laughed at her expression, but didn't say a word. 

"Well?" 

He paused and turned to face her, with a mischievous smile of his own.

She stopped and faced him with a look that clearly read, "Tell me or stop teasing me." 

He playfully poked the bridge of her nose and quietly replied, "That's my job."  

The challenge in her eyes faded as comprehension dawned in her mind. Smiling, they resumed their walk. She nodded and tossed back the last of the coffee. "You're right. I really should trust you more often." 

Companionably the two continued their stroll down Main Street. Two pairs of sandals tapped quietly along the sidewalk: one pair worn below jeans and a T-shirt, and the other beneath a desert robe from a bygone age.

Pushing the Rock (Story)

This is a story I've heard in passing from time-to-time. I'd like to share it today with you. 

~ ESA

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A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and Jesus appeared before him. 

Christ told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin.

The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock every day with all his might.

This the man did, day after day.

For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing it with all his might.

Each night the man returned to his cabin sore, and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Noticing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, the adversary decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man’s mind. “You have been pushing against this rock for a long time, and it hasn’t budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it.”

Thus the adversary gave the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These troubling thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man. “Why kill myself over this?" he said to himself. "I’ll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort and that will be good enough."

And that is what he planned the very next day day.

That night, Jesus visited the man again, and the man decided to the matter before Him. “Lord” he said, “I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength pushing against that rock. See my hands? See how my muscles are so tired, and my back aches at the end of each day. Yet, after all this time, I have not even been able to budge that rock. Not even an inch! What is wrong? Why am I failing?”

Jesus responded compassionately, “My friend, When I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so?”

 
“Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard.

"Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yes, you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in my wisdom. This you have done.

"I, my friend, will now move the rock.”

Dueling Churches

There was an email that circulated a while ago that had the following images. In hopes to share a smile this beautiful day, and to show we shouldn't take ourselves too seriously, I proudly present ... the Dueling Churches:

 ~ ESA

Two Wolves (Story)

 

There is a beautiful story that I've seen make the round in emails, I'd like to share it with my readers.

I'm not certain of the origin, but credit has been given to the Cherokee People.

There are two versions that I've found.

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An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life.

"A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy. "It is a terrible fight between two wolves.

"One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

"The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.

"The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

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An old Grandfather said to his grandson, who came to him with anger at a friend who had done him an injustice, "Let me tell you a story.

"I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do.

"But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die.

"I have struggled with these feelings many times."

He continued, "It is as if there are two wolves inside me.

"One is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him, and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way.

"But the other wolf, ah! He is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. 

"He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing.

"Sometimes, it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit."

The boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eyes and asked, "Which one wins, Grandfather?"

The Grandfather smiled and quietly said, "The one I feed."

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~ESA

Divisions and Fear

Someone once asked me what I value most in this world. My response was, "Seeing other people cross dividing lines and work together.

There are many in this world who would divide. We are divided by geography, income, politics, religions, genders, lifestyle, cultures, and languages. Some thrill at diving people and putting each in our place.

But are we not all one - humanity? Do we not all have the same color blood running in our veins? Do we not all live under the same sky, where the moon and sun touch our lives?

I've even seen fellow Christians bicker among themselves over who has what right.

People quote the bible as an excuse to draw lines. "If you're not with me; you're against me!" or "Christ came to divide sheep and goats, so I am called to do likewise!"


Say WHAT?!?

Do you really believe that is what Jesus / Yeshua wants? Did He not tend to the Roman centurion and the Samaritans as well as the Jews? Did He not reach out to everyone who crossed his path, and tell a beautiful story of blessing for the one that stepped across a dividing line to help a fellow human being?

Christ asks that we love each other and work together - not divide ourselves, fight, and hate each other. That is the teachings of the adversary.

Once, I attended a healing Mass with my husband and in-laws. My mother-in-law is Protestant, and thus cannot receive communion in the Catholic church. When the priest saw that she did not come up, he approached her after finishing the line. She refused demurely. When asked why, she explained that she was Protestant and not allowed. To emphasize, she put her hands before her mouth.

The priest pulled down her hands, put the Eucharist in her palms and said firmly, "That doesn't matter." There were whispers all around us; many had plans to report this priest to the church. But I Bless this priest for what he had done. He crossed that line to extend Love.

Fear divides us from our fellow human beings. We fear them, whether we see that as despising them, hating them, or cutting ourselves from them. We are running as fast as we can in the opposite direction, even when we don't admit it to ourselves.

Fear can also be used by others to keep us quiet, obedient to their greed and desires, and have us fight each other. Fear is used to divide us. Fear is used to keep us from saying or doing something to change things - especially when things should be changed!

Why?

Because, division is the antithesis of what humanity is actually growing towards and what we can be. There is a statement that practically screams from my being when I see how much fear has crippled what we can be.

We can achieve far more together than the sum of our individual efforts.

Together - as one.

When we are divided and running in so many different directions, we fail in that.

How much can we do working together? Even as recent as one generation ago, we walked on the surface of the moon.

But we can do much more. When people work together, they erase the dividing lines. They unite in heart and mind and create something strong and lasting.

We create a better world, a brighter world.

We come up with solutions to life's problems, with no loss to any, no answering to corporate greed that sees the poor masses beneath its notice.

We bring Peace into our lives and our world. 

We bring Love to live in our lives and the lives of every one of our sisters and brothers.

We are all one, though fear tries to tell us differently.  Let Light shine to dissolve the fear - and bring us a better world.

~ ESA

Everyday Blessings

This world teaches us many lessons. One I find both sad and demoralizing is where we are told every day: We need the latest and greatest toys. If we don't have them, we are nothing. While I could rant at great length about the message advertisers and corporations spread to us daily, I will instead share a list of everyday blessings of which I'm certain the majority of my readers enjoy, while not even realizing what blessings they are...

Clean Running Water - Hot is a Bonus!

When we take a shower, or run our toothbrushes under a faucet, do we consider the blessing we have. It's something many never consider a blessing.

We take it for granted that it will always be there. We don't think about it until something major happens that takes it away, and we find ourselves in line at the local shelter or water distribution point with containers in hand...

Many in this world do not need to wait for a disaster; it's part of their daily lives. Some are in remote corners of the world; but some are right in our neighborhood. There are whole families living in vans with no running water.

Roof over Our Head - Dry is a Bonus!

When we see it pouring rain outside, do we remember the blessing we have right over our head? Unless we experience its loss, we may not realize what a blessing it truly is.

Some loose their roof due to financial reasons, others through fires, floods or natural disasters. Many lost it through no fault of their own.

Even when there is a roof, it may not be dry; roof repairs are costly. In a tight market, it's a choice between food and the leaky roof. Sometimes it's a matter of waiting for the insurance company to get around to sending the check - months after the disaster. Even small leaks can lead to big problems when mold and wood rot set in.

Food on the Table - Nutritious is a Bonus!

When we sit down to our next meal, or even "take it on the run", do we understand the blessing before us?

Food is a resource we cannot live without. The fact we can eat foods "out of season" any time day or night in most corners of the world is an amazing blessing of our day. Refrigeration and freezers are an added blessing to help keep leftovers beyond the next morning. Otherwise the food would be inedible - even dangerous to consume.

Yet, there are many without food. There are many more whose only food is the cheap stuff that holds little nutritional value. In fact, the healthy food is often the most expensive food in the market! When did chips become cheaper than cold cuts?

A conversation I recently overheard brings this blessing to light. One person was complaining that a recent storm made him late driving home from work, so he he ended up eating dinner late that night. A friend of his replied, "Hang in there buddy... it's worse when you're trying to make dinner over a can fire in an alleyway... (I've done that)."

A Bed to Sleep in - Warm is a Bonus!

When we lay our heads down to rest, do we count where we lay a blessing? There are places where it's too noisy to sleep. Some people must deal with pests chewing on them where they rest. Some, have no place to lay their head at all...

For those that do have a bed, how many lack clean bedding? Or lack the comfort of heat in their home so their teeth chatter as they shiver under the blankets?

How many people face this question each year: "Where will we sleep tonight?"

Ability to Read - Reading this Blog is a Bonus!

How often do we appreciate the ability to read? How often have we thought about it outside of school or watching kids learn to read?

Literacy is truly a blessing many take for granted. To some, even in our own town, reading this text is as difficult as reading the bar code to the left. That's the bar code, not the numbers below it! Can you read the product number, price and other information that's there? I can't.

As to reading this blog as a bonus, I am not getting narcissistic. I mean having the ability to get online, go to this website and read it. Whether we use a public access computer, a work connection, computer in our home, or one of those hand-held tools that enable you to read this website from anywhere - it's an added blessing! In the US and abroad, there is an ever-widening gap of the technical divide. Those who have and those who will be left behind. Already I've been excluded from store sales because I do not have a smart phone to read the funky squares. 

How much do we exclude our brothers and sisters when they don't have these blessings? How much do we ignore the people who struggle to complete a job application - many of which are online?

The Toilet - Flushing is a Bonus!

Yes! The toilet!

No matter how little space we have, most of my readers likely have one of these (if not more than one) in their homes.

I consider this a blessing even when it doesn't flush, such as the portable or pit toilets. There are parts of the world where they don't have the luxury to actually SIT there, where one needs better aim for all needs at a hole in the corner of the room.

Even those facilities may be considered a blessing compared to the open-air latrine ditches others must use. While I've had to hike to a location with a spade or hide behind bushes in an emergency, I don't HAVE to relieve myself that way every time.

There is truly a blessing hidden behind that door.

Heat in Cold - Air Conditioning in Summer

How often do we count our blessings when we walk in from a cold day into a warm house? Many of us may even have the luxury of air-conditioning in the summer heat. If not, at least there may be a fan to help move around the air so it's not so hot to our skin.

We would be surprised at how many of our neighbors have to decide between heating or cooling their home and having food to eat. We cannot live without food.

Each summer, I hear news stories of people who succumb to the heat and die. In the winter, there are many who face their last day in an icy abode under what covers they have.

Do we even think about these things when we fight over the thermostat with our co-workers?

Our Five Senses - All of them is a Bonus!

Do we count our senses as blessings? Our sight? Our hearing? Our ability to experience scents? Our ability to taste what's inside our mouth? Our ability to touch something with our hands and skin?

Do we feel the breeze touch our skin or play with our hair? Do we pause to wonder at what meets our eyes or ears? Do we savor the wistful scent of burning wood or barbeque? Do we stop to experience the hot or cold sensation and explosion of taste in our mouth as we chew or swallow?

We experience life every day through our senses; they are each a blessing.

Our Sense of Humor - Ability to Laugh at Ourselves is a Bonus!

I have no doubt God laughs; Christ has exhibited a sense of humor too. It's something God shares with His creations - with us! And it is a blessing.

Smiles and laughter are universal; it's something we all share, regardless of our diverse languages and cultures. Many a tense situation can be diffused though shared laughter.

We also have within us the ability to laugh at ourselves. This life is way too short to take ourselves so seriously. Our "image" is such a hard and strenuous thing to maintain. We need to let go of what our ego (and advertisers) tell us we should look like, and just experience who we truly ARE. Let our inner light out and share our laughter with the world.

In doing so, we share a sweet blessing too.

Our Friends - Best Friends are a Bonus!

Friendship helps us form bonds with others. They are our personal connection to the world. And they are a mirror by which we see ourselves, reflecting what we share - bright light or dark bitterness.

Friends are a blessing in our lives. They lift our spirits, help us through tough times, share in our laughter and in our tears. They share our lives.

A far greater blessing are friends that stay by our side when the rest leave.

I treasure this blessing far more than many realize. I was the outcast in school, with no friends at all. It was hard not to believe that I was worthless trash. I did believe it - for decades. Some start with no friends; others may end with no friends beside them.

Those who have had friends over a lifetime may never truly understand the blessing they have before them. A blessing we can always share. Someone in our neighborhood right now is completely alone. Do we reach out our hand? 

Our Stories - Our Sharing

In this day of high-speed internet, smart-phones and high-definition television, we are deluged with entertainment and rapidly loose our recognition of an age-old blessing - sharing our stories.

Since we were sitting in caves sharpening flint, humanity has told stories to each other. Our stories have changed over the years, and how we tell them has changed. Some today still sit around a campfire or table. Others sit before a computer screen sharing their stories over a blog or other online means.

These are our lives that we share with others. These are what lives on when we can no longer speak.

Stories can even teach others; Christ used this. We may not remember lectures or speeches, but we will continue to re-tell good stories for generations to come.

Share your story; it's a blessing with wings.

- ESA

Mewling

Just before waking this morning, I received a reminder on the cusp of a dream that I wanted to share. In the dream, I was a white cat and I had climbed up into a tree. Like the stories some giggle over, I had somehow gotten stuck and there wasn't a fireman in sight to get me down.

Yeshua (Jesus) walked up to the tree's base and looked up with a lopsided grin. He knew I was stuck. He said, "Come down, we're having dinner at your place tonight."

My ears pricked up in great alarm. My apartment is so cluttered it's shameful to have any guests over - let alone One I love, treasure and respect so much. I tried to tell Him, that maybe we could do it some other time. Yes, I was mewling like the cat in the tree I was...

Even in the dream, I remembered the story from the bible. Zacchaeus, was a short man who so desperately wanted to see Yeshua when He passed through, that he climbed up a tree to see over everyone's heads.

Yeshua spied Zacchaeus in the tree and told the man, "Come down. We're staying at your house tonight." Of course, the crowd was surprised and shocked; Zacchaeus was a tax collector and considered a sinful man. Yet, that same man found forgiveness with a new start, simply by letting Christ into his home.

As I started to awaken from the dream, I took a half-step into another dream where I was face-to-face with Yeshua. In response to my mewling protests, He looked into my eyes, placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "How cluttered was your heart, when you invited me into it?"

As I continued to awaken fully, I was given a simple request, "Share this."

We don't need to have our living space in perfect order to allow Christ in the door. Likewise, and more importantly, we don't need our spirit/soul's in perfect order to have Him enter. In fact, that is when we need Him the most, and that is when we most wants us to accept Him into our hearts and our lives.

~ ESA

Steps to Heaven

My in-laws are in their 80's. All their life, they had helped many others: friends, family and neighbors. They have very little in possessions, but they share all they are. They've never needed anyone's help... until now.

It's hard to tell one you love, respect and admire that they don't remember things right. It's frightening to see them loose their strength, their stamina, their ability to drive, their sight...

Like they had done with their parents, my husband and I want to step into the roll of caretakers for them.

But they "don't want to be a burden."

This is a delicate dance we need to take, together, often with little guidance. When the role of parent and child switch, it's hard on both.

In a way, not being blessed with children of our own is a blessing - we have some freedom to help where we wouldn't with a child (that sandwich generation). But my in-laws need to accept the help, for it would do neither of us good to force it on them.

Yesterday, a beautiful gem came to mind. This weekend, we will try to present it this way: All their life, they have helped others, ensuring their place in Heaven. Now, it is time for others to do the same. By allowing others to help, they open an opportunity for good works.

They are, in turn, helping others --- on the steps to Heaven.

~ESA

Little Crow's Discovery (Story)

Once there was a little crow who lived in a nest deep in the woods. As the little crow grew, she discovered that there were very few like her.

The birds around her had wondrous variety of color on their heads and wings, backs and tails. The red-headed woodpecker tapped at the truck above her nest and the brightly colored blue jay and cardinal danced from branch to branch, resting on their springtime journey north. She extended her wing before her and looked down at her breast and saw only black feathers. She was black beak to tail.

Sitting dejected in her nest, she could hear the voices of the other birds. Most were gifted with many fine melodies by the Creator, and they sang of life’s glory with their lilting voices. The little crow opened her beak to try singing too, but only a course “Caw Caw” rose from her throat. Horrified, she snapped her beak shut and shuddered. This was no singing voice. She huddled deeper into her nest.

A silly mockingbird alighted on a nearby branch, and proudly demonstrated all the various mimicries she could do. This only made the little crow feel worse, and she turned her back on the mockingbird. She tucked her dark head under her wing, and let the wracking sobs choke through the pathetic coarse sounds in her throat.

A robin was passing over the treetops and heard the little crow’s cries. She dipped beneath the leafy canopy and pine boughs to find the little crow’s nest. “Why do you weep, little crow? It’s such a lovely day. Come, fly with me in the sunshine."

The little crow peeked from under her wing with tear-filled eyes. “This day may be beautiful for one like you, but it isn’t for me."

The robin cocked her head inquiringly and settled herself more securely on the nearby branch. “The sun shines for you as it does for me."

"But what is there when the sun shines on me? I’m ugly! All the other birds have all these beautiful colors, but I am black from beak to tail."

The robin chirped her laughter merrily, “Why, little crow, look at me. The males of my kind may have a prominent red breast, but I am brown like my sisters. I have no bright colors, but I still have something to contribute to this world."

"Yeah,” cawed the crow, “you have that beautiful voice of yours. Listen to mine. I cannot sing like you."

"You have something to share with this world too. The Creator had a plan for you when he made you. You just have to spread your wings and find it."

The little crow hunkered down deeper into her nest. “I don’t think I can; there’s nothing to find."

The robin sighed and spread her wings, fluttering off to find some worms for her meal. But she returned to the little crow’s side day after day, trying to coax her out of the nest.

Now what the little crow did not know is that many had taken interest in her. The pines and other trees spread their branches, protecting the little crow from the spring storms that rolled across the lands. They rocked their branches in the wind, trying to sing her soothing melodies and lullabies with their gently creaking boughs. But she would see and hear none of these. Why would the trees care about one little crow?

The woodland animals often listened to her mournful cries as she spoke with the robin and tried to think of some way to help. They called up to her nest asking her to come out. Some, like the chipmunk and squirrel, even climbed up the tree, sitting on a nearby branch to speak with her. When they left, she felt even more alone and refused to leave her nest.

At last the animals and the trees put their minds together and came up with a plan. They went to Coyote for help. Coyote wasn’t too pleased to be awoken from his nap, but when the trees and the animals collectively insisted, he stretched his lithe frame and said, “Show me where this little crow is.”

They led Coyote to the base of the tree and he sat on his haunches and called up, “Little crow, why are you still hiding in your nest?”

Surprised that he had come all this way just to speak with her, she peered over the brim of her nest. “There is no reason for me to come out.”

“Come with me, little crow, there is something I must show you.”

She hesitated, “No, you are just here to trick me. People say they care, but they really don’t.”

“Suit yourself, but you shall miss seeing one of the most remarkable sights in this land. There isn’t much time to see it, and I thought you would want to be there.” With these words, he rose up on all four paws and sauntered down the path.

Curious, she watched him as far as she could from the nest. Then with a quick look around her, she leapt from the nest and followed at a discrete distance, soaring from tree to tree with ease.

When he paused at the edge where the woods met a large open meadow, she landed on a nearby branch and called down. “Where is this remarkable sight? This is just a meadow.”

“Oh, it’s found in the meadow,” he replied, “but you need something magical to see it.”

“Oh?” She hopped down a few branches closer to him. “What?”

“Come closer, little crow, and I will show you.”

She hopped down a few more branches, a bit nervous to be so close to those sharp teeth. “What?” she repeated.

“This!” He leapt up and snapped at the little crow, causing her to fly up abruptly. When he landed on the ground Coyote held one of her black feathers in his teeth.

Horrified and shaken, she settled on the highest branches, knowing he could not get her there.

But he seemed to loose interest in her and, instead, trotted out to the center of the meadow. There he held the lone back feather up to the sky and smiled, gazing intently at it.

“Where is this remarkable sight?” she called out to him.

“I’m looking at it,” he replied. “Come and see.”

“All I see is my black feather; there is nothing remarkable in that.”

Coyote looked over at her with knowing eyes and then returned his gaze to the feather. “Come and see.”

She ruffled her feathers, still shaken by his earlier actions. But she had also heard legends about Coyote’s wisdom…. She hopped down to the lower branches and leaned forward, trying to decipher what he saw.

Her friend, the robin, alighted on the branch beside her. “What is he doing?” she wondered aloud.

Coyote smiled back at the robin, “I’m looking at one of the most remarkable sights in this land. Come and see it.”

The robin cocked her head curiously and fluttered down to the meadow. She timidly hopped over to his side and gazed up at the black feather. What she saw brought tears to her eyes and she just stood there, awestruck.

The little crow called out, “What do you see, friend robin?”

“It’s beautiful…. so beautiful….” was all that her friend could chirp.

Coyote smiled down at the robin and back to the little crow, beckoning her, “Come and see.”

She landed on the ground and little by little hopped her way apprehensively toward Coyote. She kept looking at the lone black feather he held aloft – a dark smudge against a perfectly blue sky. “I see nothing but my own black feather.”

“Come closer and see.”

Very anxious now, she hopped closer and closer; the feather became a larger and larger dark spot blotting out the sky. “I see nothing remarkable or beautiful here,” she cawed bitterly. “This is just a very cruel trick!"

"No it is not,” snapped Coyote, his patience gone. “Stand beside me and see.”

With a click of her beak, she stepped beside him and looked up at her feather. The bright sunlight shone around it as she moved into position, then Coyote turned the feather slightly.

Rainbows!

Countless shining rainbows sparkled gloriously through the feather. There were so many rainbows that she could no longer see the black of the feather. And all those remarkable colors danced before her eyes as the gentle breeze tickled the feather. “Beautiful!” she cawed, “More colors than I’ve seen on any other living thing….”

“That” he replied, “is what you have inside you. It can only be seen in the right light, but when it is seen, it shines as nothing else in this world. You may not believe you're beautiful on the outside, but the Creator placed something far more beautiful on the inside. You have many gifts within, words, images, stories, songs. Your voice may not sound the best to your own ears, but when you sing from your heart, it moves the hearts of others far more than even the eagle's cry or morning dove’s call.”

“Remember this.”

Originally written (c) 2009 - Permission to copy/share this story is granted, provided you do not receive profit from doing so.
- ESA