The view from my study window
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, indeed it faints, for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.
Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Selah
Happy are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion. Psalm 84:1-5 NRSVue
We are at the stage of life where there is a lot of gloomy news about the health of our peers and, even more distressing, loved ones who are much younger. When I feel overwhelmed -- often these days -- I find solace in the natural world, Creation. While our walks, skis, now paddles and cycles, are part of this so is looking out the window of my study.
My view is to two birch trees where there are often birds, although not swallows such as those featured in the fold-out Angela Harding card given to me by daughter Jocelyn a few years ago. I decided that I couldn't just tuck it away so I put it on the window and I still love it.
The other day we were walking alongside the Moira River north of Belleville and we saw, for the first time this year, swallows flitting and swooping over the surface. This is always a thrilling sign of Spring for me and they bring to mind the Spirit moving over the waters of Creation in Genesis.
When I took the photo above I'd just opened the window to the sound of the dawn chorus and I felt uplifted in an indescribable way. On Easter morning I felt Resurrection hope during the worship service and I did again as the birds sang and the birch trees held their promise or renewed life. As I write this with window open I hear the rain and a loon in voice flying above, to who knows where. Life is uncertain but in this moment the God of Creation and Resurrection, animated by the Holy Spirit, is good.
Swallows in Flight -- Angela Harding
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