Guest Post: Shower Buddies

I am so excited to introduce a guest blogger today. Pat is a dear friend who has a keen photographic eye and special writing skills. In part, these skills come from her years of practice in communication as a Speech Pathologist. But I think her real talents come from her love of nature from afar and close up. So I hope you enjoy her post as much as I do.

Last December, my husband and I had the good fortune of moving to a house on the water. This three-story beauty is at the end of a cul-de-sac with a 180 degree view of the creek. It’s like living in a tree house surrounded by the wonder of nature. There is constant movement as the pine trees sway and the water ripples with the incoming tide. Casual conversations are constantly interrupted by wildlife sightings as binoculars are grabbed and bird watching replaces whatever we were doing.

When buying the house there was one amenity that was not mentioned in the real estate flier: the opportunity to shower with friends. By this I mean feathered friends as I have a view from my bathroom window that allows me to see an egret, a heron and a kingfisher while I’m in the shower.

These exquisite birds always line up about 20 feet apart in the same order on the dock. The elegant white egret stands tall and regal. The blue heron is scraggly and still. The smaller, belted kingfisher fiercely protects his territory at the end of the dock.

So while I’m “cleaning,” my shower buddies are “preening”.

I wonder if this is their morning meditation and they’re contemplating breakfast as I am? As I look forward to my coffee and bagel, are they pondering their catch of the day?

As they gently take flight I am thankful for their presence and the gift they have given me. After all, don’t we all wish for the opportunity to share our day with a spouse, a partner, a friend, a family member, or a “buddy”?

Illustration source: New York Times