New Life

The other day I told my sweetie about how thankful I am to be living here in Southern California and how much I love my walk in the morning with our dogs. Everything is so crisp and clear filled with blue sky and fresh green. As kids, we made jokes about "bottling it up" for others to enjoy in different parts of the country. Now, we can share pictures and immediate thoughts online because of the blessing of technology. 

I was completely absorbed on my walk because it was the type of morning that reminded me of when the snow finally melted back in Minnesota. I could just envision the snowbanks melting with the materials for snow ball weaponry at the ready, as well as the streams of melt-water showing up just below the banks of gravel and salt mottled piles. The banks freeze at night and in the morning there is a frame of ice ready for demolition by kids walking to school. The air smelled like the melt and spring's arrival.

And then I woke up from the daydream because as loud as it was shrieking, the noise roused me to the point of guard because it was a hawk somewhere above the park and my dogs are small enough to be lunch. The hawk shrieked and shrieked, took off flying, and shrieked more. As soon as it was out of the area, I felt a lot better.

The thing is, my family has a thing for hawks. On long road-trips, Dad spotted a hawk, pointed the direction, and then simply said, "Hawk". We got really good at spotting them and pointed like he did, along with the simple "hawk" message.

Since Dad passed away, the hawk has become a certain message that he is around and keeping an eye on us. So, in the aftermath of Dad's cousin leaving this earth to begin new life, it was a loud and very clear message that all will be ok. It's like they're having their own cousins reunion up there, along with Dad's parents, aunts, uncles, and friends. I felt so much better than just yesterday. 

The very real part of this is the hawk could very well be guarding her nest, for at dusk, I heard two birds that were shrieking an unrehearsed shriek and then saw their white underbellies against the sapphire blue sky of dusk. Again, I was walking the pooches and made sure they remained very close to me.

It just felt like confirmation. I saw two birds who were experiencing life for the first time. Dad and his cousin get to experience life again, but they are now among the angels. I will always miss them, but the hawk will always remind me someone is looking out for me and my family.

Note: This is up for Thursday, but text will follow in the morning. I'm just wiped out!

Materials:
Canson 120lb Watercolor Paper
Prang Watercolor Ovals