“Our minds are like crows. They pick up everything that glitters, no matter how uncomfortable our nests get with all that metal in them. And the result is that our minds are full of a lot of miscellaneous junk: interesting, fascinating, important, and terribly heavy rubbish—much of it silver and gold, but much of it also brass and tin. And what is worse, it is heavy. It takes up a lot of room. It gets in the way of the things that are really important.”
– Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation
On my birthday eve, I would like to take this time to share with you that I’m actually a crow. No, really, I love small trinkets, snacks, and dancing around in my backyard. And, if any bigger birds try to bother my family, my raucous caws (cause) will make sure to keep them away.
As someone who loves all things spiritual – from folk beliefs to the high church – I find Thomas Merton to have a way with helping people understand being human. There was something otherworldly in the way he described his faith, or in the things he created. He was truly a mystic of the times, helping people see the world through a whole new lens.
While I’m not a professional scholar of Merton, his work has been an integral part of my life for as long as I can remember. His words and images have brought me solace over the years, and I appreciate his ability to reach people where they are.
Many thanks to my dear husband who drove around Bellarmine University to help me find this statue. I think this is from the early 2010s.
Back to the crows…
Some time ago the whole crew went away after an area close to our home was logged and cleared. I know there were many nests in the trees, and crows have a very, very, very long memory. In fact, research shows that they will hold a grudge through generations, teaching their offspring to avoid certain people. You can find many anecdotal tales of people trying to prove they are okay to the local crows.
Another fun fact, is that crows have regional dialects. A crow in Iowa will have a different accent than one in North Carolina. If you listen to them long enough, you begin to understand what they are saying. Four clicks – click, click, click, click – means “That weird lady that feeds us and all the other wild things just walked outside the door and has PEANUTS!!!!!!” There is the call that signals hawks in the area, and I swear it sounds like they are protective incantations.
And the stories about how they love shiny things…well, some ornithologists say it’s just coincidence, while those who have seen it with their own eyes say differently. In my experience the crows that visit me prefer things like twigs and bits of natural things like leaves. What they love more than all of that is a nice bird bath full of clear water. They love it so much that I’m pondering putting a small plastic pool in the yard for them so they can play in it.
The trinkets do give us some thoughts, and Merton uses it to teach us that while the world is full of baubles to feather our nests, the true beauty is everything all around us. This is something that crows teach us as well. For them every treat is a gift, and in celebration they give praise together while dancing upon the wind.
Until next time,
~ Kimbo
P.S. There is a whole family of faeries that live in, and around, my writing space. All typos are mine, and if you find them that means the typo faeries are in need of a sweet treat.