Stopped at the Crossing

I was driving home after a long and difficult week at work.

It was hot. Humid. Traffic was terrible. I was tired, frustrated, and eager to get home.

A few minutes from my house, I was stopped at a railway crossing. I remember sitting there feeling completely, and absolutely, miserable.

Then a tiny yellow bird landed on the hood of my car. A moment later it hopped down onto the gravel shoulder. Then another appeared. The two brilliant yellow birds fluttered back and forth across the road, completely unaware of my bad mood.

I was fascinated. A few moments earlier I had been impatiently waiting for the train to pass. Now I found myself hoping it would take a little longer.

When the crossing finally opened and traffic started moving again, I wanted to stay. I had no idea what kind of birds they were.

The next day I bought my first bird book. That purchase opened an entirely new world. I spent hours flipping through pages trying to identify my little yellow bird. At first I thought it would be easy. It wasn't. There are a surprising number of yellow birds.

I searched. Compared pictures. Eliminated possibilities. Looked again.

Eventually I found it. American Goldfinch. I still remember the thrill. It felt like a treasure hunt.

Decades later I still remember those birds. Not because they were rare. Not because they changed the world. Because they changed my attention.

Goldfinches weren't the only gold I found that day.