THE COMFORTS OF CHANGE Seasonal changes, comings and goings, are often sweet and poignant, too—the greeting and the good-bying, the embracing and the letting-go. Change brings loss. Loss brings return, renewal and restoration. The circle of life continues. Always we trust the comforts of change are waiting in the wings as more goodness yet to come. C’est la vie! This is life. Life is good. For a very long time, each spring, excepting those I lived in the heart of Manhattan, I put out hummingbird feeders on Easter Sunday. |
When we finally hang our feeders above our porch railings, we’re not so late after all, for the hummers are slow to come. Come they do—singles and couples and families, too! Our first summer on our new porch embraces their sweet, animated presence as though they’re here for our entertainment—all the humming and the buzzing, the looping in courtship and swooping in fun.
This year the hummers linger longer past the first day of October when the feeders are usually cleaned and put away. We’re sad the early autumn morning when we no longer hear and see the humming wee ones, not even a single appearance.
With the transition of our seasons, our visitors have all flown south and left us with heartaches for the loss of their familiarity. C’est la vie! This is life. Life is good. Though unseen today, we know to trust that with change and their recent leave-taking, their return and more goodness are on the way.
For today we are comforted by simple gifts like the hummingbirds still on the walls of artCentral. Foretelling the promise of a spring return, beautiful depictions of our wee winged friends tenderly linger with us in the exquisite paintings of Michael Steddum.
Michael’s exhibition: “unleashed! DOG SHOW” continues through November 12, 2017, generously underwritten by HOMETOWN BANK. Paintings in oil and watercolor, as well as prints and note cards are available for purchase. Gallery hours: Fridays & Saturdays 12:00-5:00, Sundays 1:00-5:00. All other days call (417) 358-4404 to schedule a visit. Admission is free. Donations are welcome in our support box.