Rather like my sudden realization a few weeks back that I had yet to post how I came to the Craft, it has just occurred to me that I have never shared why I go by the name "Hummingbird". The first thing that comes to mind is this: Raincloud, Hazelnut, and I were sitting around a table last spring, laughing and joking as friends often do together. We had determined that Hazelnut looks like a squirrel (and believe me, she does), when she looked at me and said "You're a hummingbird!". I had never thought much about it before then, but I suppose I do. After all, green is my favorite color, and the only hummingbird species that live around here are green. Wikianswers says that Pagans hold the birds in high esteem for their "tireless energy and anxiety", and I am nothing if not eternally busy, and therefore, eternally anxious and stressed over something. Further, the Native Americans revered the birds, seeing them as being representative of the natural cycles of balance, as well as of love and happiness. My earliest memories of them certainly evoke feelings of love - of curling up on my grandmother's lap watching them flit and sip from her nectar feeders. A similarly powerful memory comes to mind, from many summers ago, when Nick and I went out west to Montana, both to sight-see and to visit relatives. One day, we stopped at the home of my grandfather's sister. It was a relatively small place, made of dark wood and standing in the middle of a forest. Her garden was lush and well-cultivated, and a creek ran through her backyard, with a hammock hanging over it. Nick and I sat outside, near a nectar feeder hanging from a tree, when all of a sudden, a charm of hummingbirds flew down from their tiny nests and flocked to the feeder; at least a dozen of them. Nick stood slowly, and held out his hand. The tiny creatures hovered above it, fearless and confident. I should like to be as the hummingbird: knowing my abilities without becoming immodest, and feeling brave in such self-knowledge. I can only hope to be worthy of using their name.
Sunday
January 22nd, 2012
Rather like my sudden realization a few weeks back that I had yet to post how I came to the Craft, it has just occurred to me that I have never shared why I go by the name "Hummingbird". The first thing that comes to mind is this: Raincloud, Hazelnut, and I were sitting around a table last spring, laughing and joking as friends often do together. We had determined that Hazelnut looks like a squirrel (and believe me, she does), when she looked at me and said "You're a hummingbird!". I had never thought much about it before then, but I suppose I do. After all, green is my favorite color, and the only hummingbird species that live around here are green. Wikianswers says that Pagans hold the birds in high esteem for their "tireless energy and anxiety", and I am nothing if not eternally busy, and therefore, eternally anxious and stressed over something. Further, the Native Americans revered the birds, seeing them as being representative of the natural cycles of balance, as well as of love and happiness. My earliest memories of them certainly evoke feelings of love - of curling up on my grandmother's lap watching them flit and sip from her nectar feeders. A similarly powerful memory comes to mind, from many summers ago, when Nick and I went out west to Montana, both to sight-see and to visit relatives. One day, we stopped at the home of my grandfather's sister. It was a relatively small place, made of dark wood and standing in the middle of a forest. Her garden was lush and well-cultivated, and a creek ran through her backyard, with a hammock hanging over it. Nick and I sat outside, near a nectar feeder hanging from a tree, when all of a sudden, a charm of hummingbirds flew down from their tiny nests and flocked to the feeder; at least a dozen of them. Nick stood slowly, and held out his hand. The tiny creatures hovered above it, fearless and confident. I should like to be as the hummingbird: knowing my abilities without becoming immodest, and feeling brave in such self-knowledge. I can only hope to be worthy of using their name.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Wow... I never thought of the deep meaning... I just thought you were hyper and liked to flap your arms excitedly... hahahha JK I love you so much
ReplyDeleteLOL, I hadn't really thought too much about it, but then I decided to do some research and found that the name actually really fits me!
ReplyDelete