A hummingbird distracted me from my deep thoughts while sitting on a porch swing, deep thoughts on life, purpose—all those mid-life issues. He darted back and forth between a nearby branch and nectar feeder. Just as I was about to leave, he broke into a song. The song of a hummingbird is very delicate, very sweet. I thought "oh, what a gift he gave me!". But almost instanteously I realized he had given me no gift. He was being just what he was: a hummingbird that sings.

The gift of being.

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