The Heron

For a long time now, I have been fascinated by herons. I have been fortunate enough to see them fairly regularly throughout my life (the fish in my childhood neighbour's pond were perhaps not so fortunate), but not so regularly that I will not stop whatever I am doing and watch until the heron is out of sight.

Only in later years have I developed a strong interest in tradition and folklore. There, too, the heron is important. 

In many cultures it represents patience, grace, wisdom, focus - all qualities that one can observe in a real, living heron. The Celts saw it as a liminal creature, occupying the space between water, land and air, standing at the fork of diverging paths.

I have been trying hard the last couple of days to reconnect with the world. The recent rains have done wonders, awakening both the earth and myself from a heat-induced coma. I have felt life around me again. Seeing this heron today seemed like a confirmation that I am moving in the right direction.