The Blue Jay

Sounds of the Blue Jay

I've heard it before.  This morning, I heard it again…the song of the Blue Jay.  He's loud.  He's big.  You cannot mistake his song.  It's different.  It brings back memories.  Memories of when I was a little girl.  I remember early mornings, lying in bed in my upstairs bedroom, the window open.  I could hear him outside.  I could hear the rustle of the leaves blowing in the fall breeze.  It was so peaceful, so restful, so innocent.  This morning when I heard him, I wanted to be back in that place, back in the safe place of my bed in my parent's home as a little girl.   There was nothing then that could hurt me.  At that point, nothing really had; no tragedies, no deaths, no lost loves.  All of what was to come, was still a mystery, still the unknown, unbelievable that such things might happen in my future.  As a child I was hopeful.  I had big dreams of true love, of a marriage like my parents had.  Was there any reason not to believe that that too could not happen to me?  No, no reason at all.  They loved, my parents.  They sacrificed for us.  They lead us down a golden road of patience, faith, and unconditional love.  As he hugged us hello daily when he got home from work, my dad would give us brightly colored bubble gum balls.  We looked forward to that. Isn't it funny that such a simple gesture formed a life long memory.  Our immediate family was close.  We were close to our extended family too.  They meant something.  We spent time with them.  We enjoyed each other's company.  We had big meals together with wonder food and fellowship.  There were good cooks in our family.  There were traditions in our family…turkey and dressing, Christmas Eve with my dad's family, Christmas morning with Santa at home; Easter Sunday dress up clothes, Fourth of July fireworks, sparklers and homemade ice cream.  Those were the days.  Those were days I remember about my childhood.  Those are the days that the sound of the Blue Jay brings back to me.  Lazy days, lying in my bed, dreaming of tomorrow…of a life full of just more love.