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The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest ~ Sir Thomas Moore ~


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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Sentimental Sparrow ...

I wrote my very first blog post in September of 2006 at the original Posted-from-Home.
{sadly, I ran out of photo space and had to create a new blog,  ... deb-posted-from-home}
I had only just discovered blogs (quite by accident) a few months prior & once I did, it opened up a whole new world to me!  On my weekly chat to my oldest &dearest friend Chris (friends since we were babies in England), we decided that we would both start up blogs on the same day ~ it would be a great way to see photos of each others gardens and life in our little corner of the world. I had no idea at the time, that Blogging would become so much more!
Since 2006, I wondered when (if ever) I would write my "Sentimental Sparrow" story.   I knew I wanted my little on-line spot to be a happy place to visit ... wanting anyone who spent their precious time here to leave feeling happy ~ the way I did when I stopped by my favourite blog reads.
I have sat, so many times, and typed out this story ... only to press delete, and go on to write about something happier :-)
It's Blogging that I have to thank for picking up Crafts again.  Crafts that I adored and that filled my days from the time I was a child. 
It's because of Blogging that I began crafting again ... bit by bit ...
drawing, painting, sewing, crocheting,  knitting...
and cooking... and baking ... walking with my camera, taking pictures ...
 resuming life.
With each blog I read, I was filled with such inspiration.
It's because of Blogging, that I began to submit my Art work ...
and was humbled by the response
and blessed to have it Published
by publications that are respected and known world-wide.
So when in the Summer 2012 issue of Belle Armoire, I read of a Challenge to pick a Symbol that was personally Sentimental  & create a piece of clothing or accessory that honours the Symbol, I really took it to heart.  This was the time to tell my Story.  I had only been waiting for the right moment.
 Any one who stops by my little on-line spot knows that I love Sparrows and that
we lovingly call our garden Sparrows Garden due to the fact that the majority of the birds that visit the many suet baskets and bird feeders are Sparrows.  Tiny little brown birds, who, by most accounts go unnoticed in the hopes that the seed will attract Red Cardinals, Woodpeckers, Blue Jays, Yellow Finches etc ... to stop by.
I have to admit, that I too took them for granted, knowing they would be there.  That is until a life altering car accident changed everything. 
Each morning following my accident, I would open the curtains, wondering what the day would bring.  As I sat with my tea at the kitchen table, like clockwork, the Sparrows would arrive, regardless of the weather conditions.
Early one bitterly cold Winter morning, after a particularly difficult night with no sleep, I came downstairs, opened the curtains as I always had, and noticed on the frozen ground, 6 Sparrows, side by side eating seed that had fallen from the feeder above.  I was so surprised to find them there - in the dark.
"His eye is on the Sparrow" a favourite Church hymn came to mind immediately.
"Why should I be discouraged when the Shadows come?
I sing because I'm happy
I sing because I'm free
His eye is on the Sparrow
and I know He watches me"
  I was taught a great lesson watching these 6 Sparrows on this particular morning, and they took me to the final step in the stages of Grief : Denial, Isolation, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and finally, Acceptance.
I realized it is those who will brave the storm with you that really matter. Dwelling on a situation won't change a situation, no matter how much you invest in feeling this way.  The Sparrows didn't dwell on the weather, instead, they were content to be huddled together, grateful for the blessings of seed at their feet & the comfort of each other.  As I sat watching them, not realizing how much time had passed, the sun began to rise ... figuratively & literally.
Thank you
 for the Wisdom to see
 your presence
in the precious things
you place
right before me
Amen
So Sparrows find their way tucked into my Artwork ...
stamped on fabric ...
and into clay tags as bookmarks ...
and on my Sparrow Satchel (I will write more about creating this another day)
on my key chain ...
and bracelet cuff...
 now you know why ♥
Many Thanks to Christine Stephens @ Belle Armoire for writing the "Sentimental Symbols"  article and everyone involved at Stampington ♥

27 comments:

Julie Marie said...

Oh Deb... this is sooo beautiful!.... I love your story and can't wait to get that magazine!... this is the most inspiring post I have ever read and I will read it again and again... thank you so much for sharing!... xoxo Julie Marie PS Thanks also for your visit... that book on animal tracks is a wonderful one... in the meantime, if you can take a pic of the tracks in your yard and email it to me, I will try to find them in my book...

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

Dear Deb ~ Thank you for visiting my blog and your kind comment on my little thankful journal.

This piece about your sentimental sparrow really touched my heart.

I posted a link to your post.

FlowerLady Lorraine

Mereknits said...

Deb, you have brought a tear to my eye, what an amazing story. I am so sad you had to go through all that pain and trial but I am happy you have come out the other end stronger and happy.
Hugs,
Meredith

Jeanne said...

This posting deeply touched my heart.......Here's to all the sparrows and all God's creatures in the world. Here's to you sweet friend. I love everything you share.
Love Jeanne♥

Deb said...

Thank you Julie Marie ~ unfortunately all the snow has melted - it has been very mild today, but I read in the paper that Coyote have been spotted in our area so I am wondering if that could possibly have been what made the tracks?

Deb said...

Thank you so much Lorraine ~ I really appreciate your kind words ♥

Deb said...

Thank you Meredith xo

Deb said...

Thank you so much Jeanne xo

June said...

I loved reading this beautiful post Deb and why the sparrow has such meaning for you in your life. I can't even imagine what you went through during that time in your life, but I am so glad that you survived with such heart and beauty of soul. Your artwork is always from your heart and so lovely.
Congratulations for being published in such a wonderful publication!
sending hugs...

Deb said...

Thank you so much June xo

Kelly said...

I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes...Deb, you have one of the loveliest souls I've ever known (even if I haven't met you in person, yet:) So many people would never have seen the metaphor you did that morning with the sparrows, but you have depth. And I'll never look at the little sparrows outside my kitchen window the same way again.
All my love, Kelly

Deb said...

Thank you Kelly ~ your sweet comment has brought tears to my eyes too ... and "Yet" is right :-)

Pat@BPM said...

I love this post,Deb. Thank you so much for sharing the story of the Sentimental Sparrow.

Starr White said...

I see we share many common interests! You have a lovely blog, and I am joining up to follow along :)

Lesley Austin said...

Dear Deb,
Sharing stories such as this one of yours doesn't make any of us leaving your blog anything other than happy...and it is a deeper happiness than we might feel if the sharing was unalloyed joy...do you know what I mean?

Just beautiful...your photos and your illuminated thoughts.

I thought of you this morning when I took a photo of one of our sparrows perched on the head of a garden angel.

Wishing you a lovely February,

Lesley

Deb said...

Thank you Pat ~ for stopping by & your kind comment ♥

Deb said...

Thank you Starr, for your kind words & for following along ♥

Deb said...

Thank you Lesley xo
I'd love to see the photo of your Sparrow perched on the garden angel ♥

Elizabeth Maxson said...

Dear Deb,

Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful story. It has brought tears to my eyes. I am hoping to learn from it during this very hard time right now in my life. I am still struggling with the stages of grief, I know fully that I have not come to the acceptance part yet. Just yesterday, as I was hobbling, with a very pronounced limp with my brace, while downtown, and I saw a woman not much younger, "race" across the street to beat the light, and I stood there waiting, knowing full well, I could not make it, and I felt a great sadness come over me....I used to be that woman (and probably even faster).

As I stood there waiting for the light to change, I noticed all the business women around me wearing nice shoes, and clipping along, and I looked down at what I call my "can't believe I'm wearing these in public" shoes. I am at a point in which I am wondering if this is going to be permanent due to complications that I won't go into. It is too soon to tell, but if I ever do get back to my full range again, it could be a very, very long time.

But then, the other day, while in PT, while on one of the machines, straining just to make one rotation, as my knee won't bend all the way, across the room was an older man, who was "walking" between the bars, and his therapist said, "it looks like they cut your leg too short.." I screamed in my head, "What the hell??!!" And then I realized they were talking about his prosthetic. (I had to laugh at myself for a moment.) He was trying to learn how to walk with his new leg. So as I sat on my machine, trying to bend my leg, and watched the other patients with their struggles, I realized, we all have our struggles...some just more outwardly than others, and some internally.

So last night, I went to bed with a blinding headache/eyeache/migraine as I call them and woke up with one as well, and my lovely barber husband knows what to do....gets all kinds of meds, makes the room a little cooler, gets a cold cloth for my eyes...all so very early in the morning so I can lie still. Hours later today, I woke up feeling so MUCH better and with a smile!! I texted him that I was sooo happy to have only a "mild" headache and what a good caretaker he is! That is when it struck me...how funny that a simple cold cloth and a dark room can help me feel so much better...and the love behind it. How nice to be able to text the person who made it all possible. And not once was I even thinking about how I was limping towards the kitchen as I texted because I was thinking about how much I loved the person who made it possible for me to wake up a little better today.

I think that is just a little step (or limp :-) towards acceptance - I hope.

Thanks for visiting my blog and for this very lovely story and congrats on your publication - you inspire so very many in very many ways.

Love
Elizabeth

kimberly said...

One of my very favorite things about spring coming is hearing the songs of the birds in the morning. They always remind me of my grandparent's house when I was a child. I adore the birds and you have reminded me to consider them when ordering seeds for planting this spring- anything to lure more onto the farm!
Have a wonderful weekend,
x

Deb said...

Hi Kimberly,
Early morning birdsong is what I love about Spring too ... on our walk through the woods with our Lab this afternoon we could hear birds chirping (nestled in the trees) and it was so nice to hear them again. Happy seed ordering & hope you have lots of birds visiting the farm xo

Deb said...

Elizabeth ~ Thank you so much for sharing your story xo I totally understand & empathize how you are feeling living with chronic pain (headache/eyeache/migrane). Sending love & prayers to you on your healing journey ♥

Monica said...

Oh my dear! I'm so, so proud of you. I love that you are singing your song!
xoxo

Monica said...

P.S. Sorry for missing this post when you published it :(

Unknown said...

Such an inspirational post. I love what you have written about the sparrow and how you use it in your beautiful works of art.

Deb said...

Thank you Monica!! xo

Deb said...

Thank you Barb ♥