The Hummingbird Connection

My plan for the morning was to run a few errands, go to the library and come home and write the blog I have been 'writing' in my head for the past week.  It all started out very well until I saw a sign for a yard sale along the way. Of course I stopped. There was an elderly gentleman walking around putting prices on items and we immediately began a conversation.

He was very nice and told me the stories behind almost everything that I picked up or looked at.  He had some really neat things and almost every single item was an antique. Just about everything was made in the USA, solid wood, solid metal or completely handmade.  He shared with me the stories and history behind the car models, records, pottery and glassware.  Because I am really trying to make an effort to not bring home so many treasures, I decided that there wasn't anything that I needed.  Then I spied a stack of pictures leaning up against a tree. I noticed some vintage frames and went over to take a look. I flipped through them and saw this print of hummingbirds.

I know!  Hummingbirds!  As I've shared, and as so many of you know, hummingbirds are my thing.  Hummingbirds represent so many things in my life and they always seem to show up as little winks from God at just the right time. I saw this and it was perfect!  I asked Michael (we had already shared names) how much it was and he said "I don't know, let me ask my wife Judy".

Judy was laying down on a chair in the back and Michael explained that she is suffering from a sciatica flare-up. I picked up the print and brought it over to her and that began our hour-long conversation. And because these two connections, the hummingbirds and the sciatica, were not enough, their lovely dog Sadie was laying back there with her as well!  

We talked about hummingbirds and our experiences with them, we talked about her sciatica and our struggles with that and we talked about our dogs.  Sadie was a mix of Cocker Spaniel and Rottweiler and was just delightful!  Judy and I, and occasionally Michael, had such an easy and comfortable time talking about her volunteering with the church, about my mission to donate cards and our shared love of vintage pottery.  

She explained that she used to go to estate and yard sales with her son and it was something that they both really enjoyed doing together.  Now that he is married and has a family, his time is limited. She brought me into her shed where she had stored a lot of her pieces.  She had lots of Shawnee, Hull and McCoy pieces, all things she has picked up through the years or items that were given to her as gifts.  She shared with me that Michael has some health issues and they are looking to scale back to spare their family from having to deal with it all "when the time comes". We spent a long time talking about her pieces, her plants (she had a lovely garden), the birds she gets at her feeders and her church.  And sweet Sadie was getting lots of loving and attention - so she was pretty happy too. 

After we were talking for a while she said, "I want to go in the house to get something.  I will be right back".  She came back out with a porcelain hummingbird figurine.  She said "I want you to have this." I began to gently protest and then I remembered something that my friend Jennifer Gray said.  She said that when people try to refuse her compliment or gift, she says "Don't block my gift".  It means, roughly, let me do this for you. I think of that a lot, and I gratefully accepted Judy's gift of the hummingbird figurine. God was winking again. 

I gave Judy my card and thanked her and Michael for their kindness and for spending their time with me. I got back to my car and realized that I had spent an hour talking with these two delightful people.  I also realized that my blog, the one I was "writing in my head" will have to wait.  I now had a new blog to write. 

I thought about the three different routes I could have taken this morning and how I was supposed to meet Judy and Michael, and Sadie.  Sometimes, oftentimes, things happen and you meet people that are exactly who you are supposed to meet.  One thing I know for sure is that the more that I open my heart and look for the blessings, the more I find them. 

I am putting together a packet of cards and I'm going to drop them off to Judy and Michael's house next week.  Along with a bag of treats for Sadie. 💓