This morning on my train commute through New Jersey’s swampy meadowlands, I saw one of those ospreys I wrote about last time. Though they’re rather common, city-dwellers don’t get a lot of opportunities to see them, so it’s always a thrill for me. They’re majestic — over 2 feet tall, with bold brown and white markings. They usually perch on a branch or power pole surveying their favorite fishing grounds, as this one was doing this morning.
My joy at spotting this bird seemed to spill over into my entire morning. I found my eyes somehow ‘primed’ to appreciate the beauty and meaning around me — an adorable child in a stroller, the bright stripes on a woman’s bag, a cooling breeze on this humid morning. In the same way that a cross word with your mate can make you grumpy all day long, my brief encounter with the osprey brightened my whole day. Thank you, Pandion haliaetus!
Photo by Yathin S. Krishnappa
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