The Crazy Bird Lady and the Solace of Birds

I live alone. My daughter worries I will become a crazy old bird lady. “A little late for that, dear,” I think to myself, “I’m already there.” And have been for years. In love with the birds. And why not????

In a year where the words “unprecedented times” have become the catch phrase, in a year where social gatherings of human friends are frowned upon and forbidden, I look to the birds. I turn to my feathered flock, now, more than ever. For solace. For peace. For well-being.

And I’m not alone.

For the last half century, millions of people—much like you and I—have strewn and scattered billions of pounds of birdseed in their backyards. Ahh, yes, my birdfeeders overflow. And the hobby continues to grow. Why?

Studies show that feeding the birds bestows a “sense of pleasure and relaxation, feelings of usefulness and an increased connection to nature.” And this article in Psychology Today should help to allay the fears of my daughter as to my mental well-being (plus it made me feel much better about my obsession with birds).

So, this holiday season, I’m setting the table in my backyard for the birds and inviting the local wildlife of the feathered kind. Won’t you join me? In so doing, I hope a special kind of peace will settle on you and yours this season. And let’s hold onto hope for 2021 when we can meet on the Bluebird trails of Bend.

Have a bluebird day!

Carol