The Bird of Spring
By: Arbeena Shah
She sat on a maroon wooden chair near the window of her airy room one pleasant evening. The exuberant and reinvigorating month of March had begun. The bleak winter had wrapped up its chilly apparels and now, the zestful spring was ready to exhibit its harlequin collection. The radiant sun was back with its tepid dazzling rays after hiding behind the white puffy clouds for almost ninety days. A fresh life had begun to trickle down into the veins of nature and it was all set to paint the lacklustre twigs, branches, leaves, and flowers with its bunch of shades once again.
As she was scrutinizing these minute pleasant changes around her from the past few days, her heart was full of the joys of spring. After all, the cold and dull days were gradually fading. It was a time of glorious spring.
That pleasant evening, she finally decided to pick up her newly bought leather brown diary to jot down her meticulous observations and feelings. The sun was about to slip into its bed as it sprayed the sky with red-orange colour before bidding adieu.
She turned her maroon wooden chair towards the captivating sunset, fetched her blue gel pen and vintage-looking diary from the nearby chiffonier, opened its first page and wrote “Spring-2021” in a stylish font. She then turned the next page but stopped writing for a while. She didn’t want to fill the pages with known and ordinary things but something special about her favourite season. However, she couldn’t get any unique idea instantly. Hence, she began brainstorming her mind while observing her surroundings from the window.
She could see the half view of her spacious lawn where the dull soil was turning dark brown, pale grass was slowly changing into light green; tiny saplings were sprouting from the soil, small yellow leaves of the Mulberry tree were absorbing green colour, and three Cedar trees were rejoicing under the colourful evening sky. Her hazel eyes caught the sight of two small birds flying in the sky. And that’s when she recalled a peculiar activity happening this spring. She smiled and began to pen it down right away.
Happily, she wrote: “Every morning a bird comes and sits at my window as I lay asleep in my warm cosy bed. The bird has started visiting me daily since the onset of the spring, and it awakes me with its melodious chirping.
When I am in a night of deep sleep it wakes me up by frequently digging its small black coloured beak against my plain glass window making a sound as if my mom is knocking on the bedroom door. It seems stubborn and doesn’t stop knocking until I open my eyes and turn towards it.
The daily arrival of this unique avian friend has put me in a thought process and I have started observing it, although my eyes are often half-closed when it visits me. This peculiar avian friend is small in size and doesn’t look like an ordinary bird. It appears vibrant, colourful, and attractive. It has got grey eyes like tiny buttons, a short black beak, a long and narrow orange tail, short legs with sharp and perfectly chiselled claws. Its open wings look similar to big leaves having soft fluffy feathers painted with red, orange, green, yellow and white colours.
Every morning this bird comes tweeting at my window, spreading its wings like a blooming flower, trying to convey to me some message through its charming and colourful feathers. And I have slowly started deciphering its message.
When it flaunts orange and red feathers proudly, it speaks to me of affection, enthusiasm, love and passion. When it blooms in green and yellow feathers, it talks to me of harmony, nature, sensitivity and hope. And when it dances in puffy white feathers, it speaks to me of purity, faith and peace. It then flies back into the clear blue sky leaving me to ponder over all the messages it has revealed to me. And I believe I have been able to decode its wise messages.
This little bird wants mankind to come out from the blanket of harsh and chilly winter and glow in the pleasant meadow of spring. It wants us to unshackle the body and mind from the chains of frost and bask in the rays of faith and hope; rejuvenate the hearts with the nectar of love from the fresh blossoms; smell the fragrance of compassion and optimism in the air; rectify the hardships of winter and rise above pain and sufferings; sing the songs of happiness and harmony; spread the wings of affection, and fly in the sky of purity and peace.
It conveys even if the icy snow of winter may freeze you, the glint dewdrops of spring will melt you. Remember, the clouds of winter will be there, but always keep the bird of spring in your heart.”
- The writer is a student of Mass Communication & Journalism, University of Kashmir. She is a feature writer, film reviewer and is interested in creative writing. She can be reached at [email protected]
