Spread like a blanket of immeasurable wealth, the shards from last night’s, heavy snowfall seemed to dance as they reflected the piercingly cold, winter sunlight. She stood alone in the middle of a secluded clearing relishing in its beauty. Perhaps she only imagined it, but as she stood tasting the fresh, icy air and listening to the stillness all of nature seemed to join her. Already the newly risen sun seemed to promise warmth as it rose higher, but she knew all to well that today would never grow warm. Gently she scanned the area and quickly assessed the visible resources. That snow-covered bush hid the succulent winter berries, and beyond the tree stump rested those sheltering evergreens. As an icy wind ruffled her thoughts, she realized how cold her feet had become.
Breaking the stillness, she slowly rose into flight and alighted on a nearby maple. While settling herself comfortably, a pesky acquaintance suddenly broke her peace. This newcomer landed beside her, not a little too hard, making the branch jerk and upsetting her dignity. She regarded the chickadee with a very cool air, but the unpleasant thing seemed not to notice and began loudly discussing current affairs. “Well, I never did see such a state of things Mrs. Cardinal! A full two feet of snow if you ask me. And I still don’t know what I’m to do with my nephew. He refuses to act sensibly but is taking seeds from that horrid tray by the glass over there, and I’m sure I don’t know what to do with him!” As she chirped the chickadee had bounced closer and closer to the cardinal bringing the musty smell of unkept feathers with her. Mrs. Cardinal could not stand the screeching voice any longer and flew further up the tree.
Now, safely away from the interruption the cardinal began to prune and fluff her own beautiful plumage. She still could taste the salty, musty breath of that unfortunate acquaintance and decided to go nibble at those soft, juicy winter berries. Then, quite suddenly she became aware of the stillness all around her. Not the sound of a chirp or the rustle of a wing could she hear but only the stillness of many watchful eyes. Before she could gather her thoughts, a shape of power and majesty dived toward the earth severing the clear, blue sky. Frozen in time, she saw the mosaic of browns and whites gliding effortlessly forward, and she glimpsed the keen arches, which made up those deadly talons. All around her she felt confusion and the rush of wings followed by emptiness. Quickly she rose into flight away from the quiet and away from those drops of blood on the snow.
Without purpose or caution the female cardinal dashed into the sheltering woods. Her tiny heart throbbing and her bright, crimson beak opened, she swerved and sped through the entanglement of branches. Away, away her instincts told her. She must get away from that exposed clearing, and she must get away from the little chickadee’s blood on the fresh snow. Passing too close to an evergreen branch, she felt cool particles of snow sprinkle her wings but continued on. Panic rose as she distinctly smelled the rotting remains of an owl meal from the night before, but even this could not slow her pace. That hawk might have snatched her life in his deadly swoop back on the maple in that frozen moment in her memory. Her blood might have fallen on the snow, and her life might have ended on this sparkling, perfect, winter day. Then a beautiful, clear note pierced her thoughts and caused her to alight on a soft, blue evergreen.
His handsome appearance reassured her as she quickly tried to soften her disheveled feathers. Scarlet feathers aglow, her mate descended. Then came his deep, chucking call and she answered. Slowly her heartbeat lightened, and her mind cleared. Gratitude for the surrounding beauty and calm filled her heart. As fresh snowflakes gently fell, the female cardinal knew those drops of blood from the chickadee would vanish forever and that gradually even her own fear would ebb away. Now she enjoyed deep contentment in feeling herself a part of the beauty and fragility of this winter world.