Carry This Feather, But Not Too Far

This meditation is based on an actual experience I had last evening while enjoying a leisurely walk: A young man went walking on a beautiful, breezy Autumn evening. Just before heading home, a small feather on the ground caught his eye, amidst the blowing leaves. He stopped, bent down, gave thanks to Creator for providing him the strength to enjoy such a beautiful walk, and for the bird whose feather the young man found laying on the ground. Once he had given thanks, a gentle voice spoke in the young man's heart:

"Carry this feather, but not too far; for soon another traveler will stop by here. That traveler, too, will benefit from the beauty of this feather which brother bird left behind." The young man stood, smiled, and carried the little feather which brother bird had given, until the young man reached the top of the hill. A gentle breeze blew. It was here that the young man stooped down and gently laid the feather back on the ground.

As we travel life's trail each day, may we embrace the beauty of all that Creator God has given to all that lives- the 2 legged, the 4 legged, the crawlers, the swimmers, and the flyers. May we walk with our hands open in such a way that what we freely receive, we freely give, with a pure heart.

-Zach Baker

October 2020