Feathers On The Wind

A single black feather drifted across my path on my walk this morning, and I was instantly humbled.

I retrieved the feather, tucked it in the back of my bandanna, and continued on my journey. The 'Verse has much to say, and we need only pay attention by having an open soul. I consider the feather a blessing, for it brought me into the moment, reminding me that we must all be light in our movements through this life, and allow the metaphorical breeze to carry us where it must.

As I walked with the feather, the lyrics of an old Pink Floyd song echoed through my head:

"Into the distance, a ribbon of black
Stretched to the point of no turning back
A flight of fancy on a windswept field
Standing alone my senses reeled"

I believe there was a video to this with an Indian jumping from a high cliff holding nothing but two black feathers in his hands. While I didn't feel the need to leap from a high place, I certainly understood its symbolic nature of faith, and that we spend a good chunk of our lives 'learning to fly'. These small bits of enlightenment are important for the nourishment of the soul.

Robert Pirsig said that God was just as at home in the parts of a motorcycle as he was in the leaves of the trees, or even the wind. I'm sure this extends to single black feathers as well, another reminder that we are God, and that our destiny lies within our own hands. It always has, since before we were born.

The black feather now sits on a makeshift altar above my desk, and serves as a continuing reminder that we are all feathers on the wind, drifting where we need to go, always moving towards the light.

"Across the clouds I see my shadow fly
Out of the corner of my watering eye
A dream unthreatened by the morning light
Could blow this soul right through the roof of
the night"

Pink Floyd is very Zen.