Robins
As we drove into town Freddy spotted the first robin of spring. I looked out the window and didn’t see what he saw. I saw Catherine mesmerized by the flock of robins that took over our front yard each spring. She would come home from school and quietly tiptoe down the driveway. When she was close enough, she would take off in a full sprint, knowing this was her chance to catch one. To her dismay the birds would always scatter.
Spring is a time that we have always celebrated. It has been a time to put on our boots and wander through puddles, to chase the robins, and let the ladybugs climb up our arms. Spring has been a time when we adjusted the swings and pumped our feet, convinced each time we actually touched the clouds. We would pluck the first “crocus pocus” and gather the daffodils just because.
As I look to the sun and warm my face, I pray that I do not miss the beauty that is about to unfold in front of my eyes. I think of what Catherine would want for us. She would want us to pluck the first crocus and display it proudly on the windowsill. She would want us to stomp through the puddles and lift our faces to the sky. She would want us to embrace each day and know that today is the day we will catch the bird.
I hope that the flock of robins find their way to our yard this year and that they do not scatter too quickly. I hope that they stay long enough to fill me with the hope that filled Catherine when spring was near.