Western Tanager : Success on the Trail

Western Tanager

This is a Western Tanager.  For reasons I can’t articulate, I so, so wanted to see one on my recent expedition.  Early hikes hadn’t turned one up, and my trip was drawing to a close.  I try to dodge disappointment, instead focusing on upcoming opportunities created by the seasons’ cycles.  Still, though, hints of “I wish…” crept into my mind as I planned the next outing:  a special morning joined by my non-bird-loving, non-morning-loving teenage son.  Father’s Day in fact!  Some part of me wanted him to have a notable, memorable experience.  Another part of me considered that “just” the time together in a beautiful place would be entirely fulfilling - at least for me.  So up the trail we climbed.

I’m writing at the onset of a climbing period in the Jewish calendar.  The year’s saddest day, Tisha B’Av, has ended, and we are beginning a period of consolation and contemplation that peaks at the High Holy Days in seven weeks.  We attempt to elevate ourselves.  During this period we reflect on who we are, fine-tuning and adjusting in preparation for the new year.  We focus on our relationships, particularly those that merit apology or repair.  We make an especial effort to restore righteous balance between haves and have-nots.  And we prepare ourselves for the possibility that in the upcoming year we may die.  And I, at least, internalize my hope that the Holy Days will be especially meaningful, filled with richness.

Setting work periods is a natural human tendency.  We define work lives with quarterly or annual goals.  Our output takes place during “sprints” or “product lifecycles.”  Our personal life often follows a similar pattern.  Health, finances, even interpersonal relationship goals often get placed into delimited timespans.  These boundaries, though, can also leave us with a feeling of disappointment or even failure if we fail to hit the target.  Can we instead, with deep resilience, find meaning in our preparation even if we miss our ostensible goal?  Can we find value in the climb itself?  If our goals don’t manifest - whether a Tanager or meaningful Holy Day service - may we still find the inherent joy of walking the trail.

Be Grounded. Fly High.