Circle of Swans
With heavy frost already etching the windowpanes, and with the rising steam from her morning coffee adding to the opacity, she wasn’t sure at first. Grabbing her binoculars, she zeroed in on the snowy rise in the otherwise neutralized winterscape – and she knew. Head tucked down, wings folded tight, covered with snow, he was frozen in the ice!
Gulping coffee and quick-sorting rescue plans . . . she pulled up short, ceased her pacing and began to watch in awe as a line of swans came into view. The leader swung to the right, the birds followed and a complete circle of white was formed. Mesmerized, she watched in silent witness as they floated down, linked in purpose, ending on the ice in surround of the Canadian Goose.
Although excitement coursed through her, unease wanted to seep in, too. She remembered earlier interactions between the geese and swans on the river – indifference, subtle resistance, aggression. But the swans lifted their bodies, stretched long necks to their fullest, and with powerful bills cracked down again and again onto the ice in rescue. They worked together until the goose, left rimmed only by a narrow skirt of ice, was finally free!
Without pause the swans rose, hovering nearby – they waited as the goose stretched and pulled its body up, worked its big webbed feet, willing life back into them once again. Nearly ready, but not quite; the goose stretched its neck and turned its head upwards to the circle of white above. The miraculous continued to unfold as four of the circling swans returned, powerful bills this time used ever so gently as they scraped the goose – top to bottom, underneath wings, up and down full body – never stopping until the ice was fully chipped and melted away.
Giving it a second test, the goose spread its wings as far as they would go and brought them back together like an accordion; another try and they achieved their fullest span, success! As for the four swans, they quickly left, rejoined their group and all resumed their journey.
But wait . . . rising with determination and what clearly appeared to be joy, the goose flapped double time, caught up, and fell into formation with the swans!
As if thawing herself, she let go of a long slow exhale. As she sipped now-cold coffee, she pondered what she’d witnessed. She stood for some time, still, looking out the window in awe as she allowed the beauty of that blessing of sharing and caring to sink deeply within. She’d been privy to a deep lesson: Together they’d accomplished that which alone, could not have been realized.
(This story is written from facts shared with me by my friend Linda Sobel. I’m glad she passed on what her friend was so fortunate to have witnessed that winter morning. The very real actions of the swans and the goose were played out on a Chesapeake Bay tributary near Osford, MD where thousands of ducks, geese and swans winter each year.
Months later, in thinking of grief and how it’s best gone through with the company and support of others, Linda’s story came back to me. Taking the time out of your busy life, to extend your hand in support, can make all the difference for a young person. It’s said that in the end we don’t regret the things we’ve done in life nearly as much as we regret those we’ve left undone. I know it to be true, more and more each day.)
