White-crowned Sparrow

Sometimes a moment of pleasure arrives in the most unexpected way.  Occasionally, it is even a shared pleasure.

After mowing the grass, weeding, trimming shrubs and watering my plants today for a rather lengthy time, I was finishing up with a rinse of the sidewalk and driveway in the front of our house.  Washing away the scattered dirt that had accumulated from my labor with this final act was a sort of mindless task, and I was feeling tired.

A small puddle of water formed at the end of our driveway during the process.  I was musing over the amount of water I was using for this cleanup, and tossing around the idea of about a gallon of water being somewhat frivolously put into the ditch to just dribble away, when a white-crowned sparrow landed in my puddle.

First he seemed to merely want a drink of water.  We've had no rain for about a month of any measureable amount.  I felt instantly better.  One of my favorite birds, and the most vocal of those who visit our birdfeeder, was happy with this excess water.  Then to my amazement, he decided a bird bath was in order.  He spent several minutes sloshing around in the water while fluffing his wings and tail feathers.  What satisfaction I now owned while watching his moment of pure pleasure in utilizing my no longer "wasted" water. 

Sometimes I think God sends little messengers like these to thank us for our efforts.  "Well done," rang in my imagination.  Suddenly, fatigue was replaced with gratefulness on a Sunday afternoon.

I believe the universe sings to us, if only we listen.