Reflection and Illusion

I'd like to share a recent happening that turned into a life lesson taught by a robin.  Startled by a banging sound, I went to the location of the house that it was coming from.  A robin stared at me beyond the window.  As I quietly watched, the bird appeared to attack the window causing the banging sound.  Repeatedly, this robin would fly to the tree branch and observe the window and fly into the window either with its tiny claws or beak.  Concerned, I stepped outside to discourage the bird - she would fly off only to observe me from afar and once I was out of range, she'd repeat this odd behavior. 

After investigation, I found out that after a bird selects a nesting place, the surrounding area becomes their territory.  If your window is within that territory and the bird sees its image in the reflective surface, it mistakes it for a rival and tries to drive it away.  A robin is one of the notable species that exhibits this behavior.  I looked for the bird's nest and found it tucked high among wires and eves near the roof of the house.  I read that it is best to be patient - that the bird would eventually leave after breeding season.   The robin did finally leave after several days of disturbance and exhibition of amazing energy in the conflict between bird and reflection.

As I watched this bird attacking an imaginary rival, I thought of how we humans can do the same thing influenced by illusion.  We can build an image of self from the narrative of our own minds.  Depending on that narrative, it can be destructive or constructive.  In the case of the robin, his reflection became his own enemy, believing it to be a rival bird.  We can do the same thing; we can become our own rival out of what we think of ourselves within life's experiences.  Our illusions can be replaced with God's reality as this chart illustrates with just a few mindsets in a chorus of many....

COME!  And visit me at The Turn-Up Patch next time.  In the meantime, may hope and new life spring within you as you meet each new day....