I love feeding birds, especially in early morning.  There’s something simple yet profound that draws me to this daily ritual.

As I open the feeder and pour fresh seed in, the whoosh of the grains swirling round delights my ears.   My face softens with a smile as I ponder how privileged I am to serve creation breakfast.

Peering outside through my den window, waiting for the first bird to arrive, I watch with awe as she, this simple wren lands for morning feast. Her tiny eyes and mine meet.  Our hearts echo each other. 

In that moment, there’s a giving and a receiving that connects us. Sowing seed is the giving.  The pleasure and enjoyment of her graceful beauty is the receiving.

This act of giving and receiving—Oneing—breaks open the dawn[1].

We’ve graced each other—the wren and I—and the seeds of grace spill into our hearts pouring into the day.  We’ve awakened to the universal ebb and flow, the mutual giving and receiving that occur when ordinary acts become extraordinary when filled with the mindfulness of love. 

And this mindfulness, this awareness of how our small acts pour love into the world and gift us back with enjoyment’s treasure is here for each of us to embrace.  The seeds of compassion we scatter and sow, gather and harvest each day through ordinary acts carried out with love are seed for the world.

Caressing a spouse’s back, encouraging a friend with kind words, writing a note of thanks, each of these actions contributes to the great unfolding of the world.  They join heaven with earth, creating an ever-expanding universe of compassion and hope.   They fulfill God’s cosmic plan for all creation to be One.

Into whose lives do you spread seeds of love? Who do your nourish with your life, through your gentle presence?

And who in turn nourishes you?  Who scatters seeds of hope upon your life with their simple acts of compassion?

We are all connected. The pure essence of life is love, love’s simple energy flowing in, through, and around us.  And as we sow and gather the seeds of care and compassion we make the world a sacred place.  We become seed for the world.

 —brian j plachta
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[1] St. Julian of Norwich coined the term “Oneing” to describe our heart’s connection to each other, God, and all creation through love.