One morning just before dawn, I dreamt I picked up an
injured yellow bird at the side of the road.
I decided the best thing would be to take him to the local wild animal
shelter. As I was driving the canary-like bird to where I could get him some
help, he perked up and started to whistle the most beautiful melody.
He jumped up and perched on my shoulder and sang so happily.
It was a tune that seemed to thank me for taking the time to offer assistance.
I awakened from the dream in an extremely good mood. I went
into the kitchen to get breakfast and noticed that an orchid plant that I had
been nurturing had its first blossom open!
Excitedly, I went over to examine it and something caught my eye. A small yellow feather sat at the base of the
exotic plant !
And then I remembered the date. It had been exactly one year
since my father's passing! The
significance of the dream became obvious to me. My father loved to whistle, he
loved canaries, and coincidentally, he had piloted a yellow Cessna float plane
for most of his life.
The logical explanation for the feather was that I had
briefly looked after my neighbour's caged birds a few months earlier and I
surmised that one of the birds must have lost his feather while preening.
However, I had watered that orchid plant many times and had never noticed the
feather. But, the spiritual significance of the find wasn't lost on me that
morning. There was no mistaking that Dad
was sending me a message to reassure me of his happiness in heaven.
At that moment, I recalled parts of two prayers that remind me
of that dream:
"O God! O God!
This is a broken-winged bird and his flight is very slow--assist him so that he
may fly toward the apex of prosperity and salvation, wing his way with the
utmost joy and happiness throughout the illimitable space, raise his melody in
Thy Supreme Name in all the regions..."
and the other:
"He hath
abandoned this mortal life and hath flown to the kingdom of
immortality..."
Today marks the second anniversary of my father's flight to
the next world and in honour of this, I feel compelled to share my dream with
you.
