Just as I step out for my walk today, a huge flock of migrating Sandhill Cranes passes overhead, making their distinctive rolling cries.
We are used to the honking of Canadian Geese, throughout the fall migration season. They come through frequently in large flocks.
Less commonly, we hear and see the cranes. It seems that their migration is clustered in a smaller span of time, both in the fall and spring, than that of the geese.
I love the cranes, and the only time I see them is during migration.
This morning they were loud and close. They must have been feeding on the remanents of corn or soybeans in the fields. They had just taken off and were gaining altitude.
I remember the first time that I noticed them. It was a sunny day, with a bright blue sky, in the springtime. I heard an unusual whirring sound, and when I traced it, all I could see were a collection of swirling glints, far up in the sky.
Later I learned it was a flock of migrating cranes, and the glints were the bits of sunlight as it reflected off of their 5 – 6 foot wingspans. When they migrate, they are usually 500 to 2,500 feet in altitude, so they are often barely visible.
I also learned that they have several flight methods, including spiraling and soaring.
What I had seen looked like a spiral dance of tiny particles of sunlight. It was magical.
So, now, when I see the cranes, I am being given the gift of a magical dance, because that is what they represent to me. This is a reminder to me to step back and see the beautiful dance that my life is.
How does the dance of life show up for you?
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