A poignant recollection from a student in my writing class:
My special birds By Doris Brown
Several years ago I read a book about a Rabbi who had died in the Holacaust. The rabbi came back as a crow. I do not know why but his coming back as crow always stayed with me.
Seven years ago my husband had a serious bout with depression. We were sitting on our porch and my husband said to me “The birds are not eating from the bird feeders because of me".
I said, “That’s not true, they are just not hungry.”
When he was well again, each morning he would go to the back window and watch the birds eat. Then my husband died. After the burial in our religion we sit Shivah for a week--a week set aside during which we withdraw from the world and face our loss. In traditional communities members of the community come to the home of the mourner whether or not they were personally involved with the mourner. The reason for a week is because the world was made in a week and each person is a world; a world that was never before and never will be again.
During this week while I was on the porch a male and female cardinal appeared at the bird feeder. It was so emotional for me. My first thought was about the Rabbi that came back as a Crow. Since then these cardinals have had babies and I have enjoyed watching them. Birds are free to fly wherever they want to go but these birds choose to come to my bird feeders within my view and allow me to think of you my beloved.
*********************************************************************************************************
To read my article that appeared in yesterday's Sun-Sentinel CLICK HERE.
Permalink | Share:
