humming along

The hummingbirds are humming around the feeder I put out for them. Some of them hover while feeding, too skittish to ever land, and others are bolder and will land on the rim around the fake flowers to take a long sip of the sugary water. The underbelly is a bright iridescent green with a brilliant splash of orange underneath the chin. So tiny and so seemingly fragile, but at the same time an awesome example of design. Like a Harrier, I watch them hover in midair, and very carefully make their way over to the feeder after gaining confidence that I am not a predator. One of them even flies right up to my face, hovering in front of my nose, and I can feel the vibration of its wings on my face, the sound of its fluttering wings vibrating in my ears. There is a breeze on my face caused by the incessant motion of its powerful wings. Finally, I am the one who backs down from the meeting, feeling a bit intimidated as it draws nearer to my face. I am the one with the size and the strength, and yet I am bested by the “fragile” creature. As I step back, it hovers backward, almost seeming to be startled by my movement. In another flash it is gone, the encounter over. I’m left with my thoughts, wondering where it went off to and what other adventures it might find today. Mankind may have dominion over the creatures of the earth due solely to his ingenuity in weapon creation, but this bird took with it today my respect and also my gratitude for the lesson it brought to me. Big things really do come in small packages.