Rev. Dr. Kate Winters
It has been a while since I’ve written these reflections. I stopped blogging a while ago, but after our trip to Wisconsin and conversations with dear friends, I decided it’s time for a new beginning. Just because I’m not sure I am “doing enough,” doesn’t mean that I should stop doing what I love. And I love to write.
June 26, 2026
The rain is falling gently this morning. My soul is quiet inside. I’m being visited by numerous songbirds and am happy to let them do all the singing. Once in a while, a devious bluejay lets out a squawk waking me out of my reverie. S/he doesn’t want me to get too comfortable.
Sometimes I think that the birds partner me in my work of the morning. For is not the divine spark inside them as well? As if to answer, two vivid red birds appear on the feeder outside my window. Who else but God could have mixed that color? The lady cardinal follows. Softer in shade, she is my favorite. She and the lovely little chickadee who will occasionally allow me to feed her from my hand.
When the tiny feet of the chickadee grasp hold of my finger, it is like nothing I’ve ever felt. It is a magnificent act of trust and I am so honored to have it bestowed upon me. It doesn’t happen that often lately, so it doesn’t get old. In fact, I am finding it a fruitful practice of contemplative meditation. I fill my hand with sunflower seed, still my thoughts, open my heart, and make myself available for whatever, whoever, lights upon me. It helps to rest the open hand on a stable surface such as a porch railing, lest the body lack the stamina to persist.
My grandfather, my Popa, taught me this, although he placed the seed right on top of his stark white crewcut. There they stood out perfectly, and the chickadees seemed to trust his head immediately! I’m sure it had to do with his gentle spirit and love of nature. The vibrations coming from him must have been most inviting. Having grown up in the city, I am still a little timid where nature is concerned. The birds, however, are winning me over. The birds and the fireflies. More on them to come later…
Dwelling in Presence 