"For The Birds"

Everyone is tired of this cold and snowy weather...well, almost everybody.  Maybe those who enjoy skiing, or get paid overtime for snow removal aren't as disgruntled as the rest of us.  School kids who've had their share of free days because of the weather may be fans, too.    I love the change of seasons but these "20 below with wind chill" days are "for the birds"!

That's why, when I was out and about, and heard some birds chirping and singing, well, it warmed my heart.  It didn't warm my lower extremities, but it warmed my heart.  It almost sounded spring-like!  And I can't wait until that season arrives.

After hearing those melodious birds, I started wondering "If I had the ability to fly anywhere, for free, like birds do, would I be hanging around here?  What would be keeping me here"?  And the answer was easy.  Because this is "home".  Maybe the birds love the familiar surroundings they find here...maybe they love their routine here...maybe they have family or friends they don't want to leave.  Who knows what keeps them here when they could fly to somewhere warmer - for free?

I guess I'm a lot like those birds - except we paid a hefty price for our escape. A few weeks in warmer climes - a great way to refresh the soul and warm the old bones - but this is home.  Love the weather or hate it -this is familiar...routine...some would say boring...but it's home and I'm alway happy to return to it.

Maybe those birds call my neighborhood "home".  Or maybe they were just passing through, on their way to somewhere else. For all I know, maybe they've been zipping back and forth, between here and somewhere warmer all along.  If I could zip, back and forth, for brief visits, for free, I'd probably be doing the same.   But I'll just be happy when the birds AND Spring are here to stay, at "home".