Oriole Speak

I spent some time with the orioles this morning again and one came up to the screen to greet me. Actually, he came to the hummingbird feeder which has the same sugary water as the oriole feeder but red instead of orange. I think he did it as an excuse to get closer to me, though, because in order to get the nectar from this feeder, he had to hang upside down. He could barely keep his footing on the plastic and he kept looking over at me. That is why I think it was just an excuse. I thought I’d better check out the message of the oriole in my book, Animal Speak.

Oriole’s theme is “The Weaving of New Sunshine”. This means that I am supposed to look for sunshine to show up which is encouraging on this grey misty morning. The male and female orioles are always in close proximity so I should notice a special closeness with my mate, which I have started to notice as Bernie and I are putting in the garden, one of the few hobbies we share.

“The oriole weaves its nest from plant fibers to form a hanging nest from forked branches”, the text explains. The oriole may help one to suspend time and space and reconnect with the inner sunshine of one’s soul. Since the oriole is a weaver it also reflects an increasing ability to weave one’s life along new lines, ones that bring greater joy. Joy is surely what I seek today.

The oriole who wears the color of a sunrise brings joy whether I read its message in a book or not. But there is something sacred in knowing that a particular little bird has a particular message to bring to the world. It makes me think about what it means to be a bearer of a message. The writer in my contemplates this on a quiet May