Painted Bunting : Manifest Destiny
This is a Painted Bunting. She was sitting on the branch singing and fluttering about. It was quite a commotion, to the point that it made me wonder what was going on. Initially I was just appreciative that she’d made it so easy for me to find her in the thick foliage. Then I got a little more context. Just outside this photo is the approaching snake! There was a largish rat snake gliding through the tree, tasting the air and slowly approaching. I was mesmerized. Would the snake attack? Was the bird aware that the snake was on the hunt? Would she keep drawing it to her? She’s a BIRD - why in the world wouldn’t she simply fly off? Or was there something else going on here? My so-obvious understanding had to be missing something.
Eve and the Snake. There may be no more analyzed story in Western tradition. The Bible relates their conversation, albeit with gaps certainly. We all know the story: temptation leads to transgression resulting in pain and suffering. The simple question is, “Why did Eve interact as she did?” More interestingly: why did she interact at all? As always with Bible stories, it’s fascinating to contemplate alternatives. What if Eve had rebuffed the Snake? Or simply walked away? Reading only what is present it’s easy to fault Eve’s decision. But again - gaps. Did her pre-existing doubt invite the Snake to approach? Did Eve intentionally draw the Snake’s attention? What are we - today - missing in her story? I’m convinced there’s more.
I have seen it often enough to observe its truth: where we invest our attention attracts and manifests the experiences we have. Do we dwell on the negative or emphasize the positive? Do we focus on opportunities or fret about pitfalls? Tradition prescribes saying 100 blessings daily. Is it God who needs this - or us? This is a mindfulness practice by which we create the world we want to inhabit. I credit Eve with awareness and intention. Similarly the Bunting was purposeful. Were they protecting nearby young? Aware of a worse alternative? Impossible to know for sure. But with surety, it is the watered seed which grows. It is the attended idea which fills our thoughts. And we choose. Both the Bunting and Eve teach our same power.