Golden-Crowned Kinglet : From Stage to Stage

Golden-crowned Kinglet

This is a Golden-crowned Kinglet.  Can you guess how it got its name?  Typically I don’t prefer photos that have the bird staring right at me.  There’s something about the aesthetic of a profile that is more interesting.  But when I looked at the side-on photos I received, there was something lacking.  It was only when the bird lowered its head and stared me in the eyes that I could see its eponymous feature so clearly.  There’s no subtlety in this photo, no nuance.  It’s a face-slap of a photo, making absolutely clear what you’re supposed to take away from it.  Or.  Or when you saw this, did you have just the slightest chuckle?  Did you see something in the bird’s expression that made you laugh, like you were being let in to a heretofore private joke?

The Prophet Elijah runs a contest.  The population, led astray by bad rulers, has forsaken God’s constitution and has instead engaged in idolatrous worship of the local cults.  Elijah wants to bring people back to the proper path.  He could plead with them.  He could make a logical argument.  He could appeal to their sense of history and family tradition.  Instead, the contest.  Elijah calls for rival sacrificial altars and even handicaps his own entry to the maximum possible degree.  The cultists accomplish nothing.  God responds to Elijah’s prayer and overwhelmingly demonstrates the truth of Elijah’s contention.  Elijah plays it straight - we read - but I can almost see his wry shrug saying, “Told ya!”  Elijah has just the slightest hint of the showman in him.

Think of the people we (think we) understand, people we know well.  Question for a moment - just a moment - whether our conception of those people has an element of role-playing in it.  I don’t mean to suggest they’re being duplicitous or disingenuous.  But what about the different angles they show in different contexts?  Are there facets to each of us that only some people see?  Of course.  Read this not as an indictment but more of a gentle nudge, a reminder to be aware that how people present themselves depends on any number of factors.  And yes, you and I do the very same thing.  All the world’s a stage, and we have our roles to play.  Sit back, enjoy the show, and may both this Kinglet and Elijah bring a smile to your faces.