April 2, 2021

A family of crows is building a nest at the top of a pine tree across the street from my house. For the past few weeks, they have been carrying small twigs and branches back and forth across the sky. 

These crows are my mindfulness tools right now. They’re very vocal. They call to each other throughout the day, and I’ve trained myself to pause when I hear them. When the crow caws, I try to notice: Am I being nice to myself? Are my shoulders tight? Am I breathing deeply? The answers are usually: Not really, Yes, and Not really. I’ll soften my thoughts, drop my shoulders, then slowly inhale and exhale. It’s a small, helpful practice. 

Some mornings, I take a handful of peanuts outside and leave them on the railing of my porch. It’s an offering of gratitude. They’ve started to recognize me, I think. When I come outside, they appear on the telephone wires above. I always greet them kindly because we’re building something alongside each other that requires attention, tenderness, generosity, and connection. 

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