Today I thought about how the smallest and most common birds often make the most beautiful songs. Think of the wood thrush or the nightingale or the song sparrow. So tiny. So unassuming. So humble. And yet the song rings out across the forest in this majestic and marvelous way. Visit the Cornell Bird Lab to hear any bird’s song. I love the sparrow.
Or consider the haunting song of the Common Loon.
I love the chirping of the Belted Kingfisher, the cooing of a Mourning Dove, and the happy exclamation of the Eastern Bluebird.
What a gift to hear birds! What a joy to think about them and pay attention to their beautiful songs each morning! The glorious songs never match the tiny and sometimes common appearance. This discrepancy encourages those of us who feel common, ordinary, and small in the world. Sing out in the particular patch of earth God has placed you like the little brown sparrow who provides the soundtrack to everyone’s day.