My father-in-law was a probate judge, funny storyteller and a beloved mentor. He was known for his kindness and fairness to widows, widowers, orphans, etc. He once told me about a situation where an owner’s dog inherited an entire estate. He also loved animals and especially hummingbirds.
When he died in Vermont at the start of the COVID pandemic, my wife Cindy and I were very distraught. The morning after he died, I came downstairs and stared out the window. To my amazement, a hummingbird was there, just two feet away, resting on a branch in plain view. I called out to my wife, and she came over to see it too. We have lived in West Suffield for 25 years and have never seen a hummingbird at our house before. That same morning, my sister-in-law in Massachusetts was having coffee on her porch and a hummingbird came by. Next, my father-in-law‘s girlfriend told us that when the ambulance came and wheeled the judge out of the house, a hummingbird was flying around him.
Our friend Kathy from Enfield told us that some people believe that seeing a hummingbird soon after someone has died means that the person has successfully made it to the other side. Strangely, that was the feeling I had initially that morning at the sighting of the hummingbird. Kathy also gave us a hummingbird feeder, and now I have been feeding them every summer for the last three years. They don’t sit still much, except to eat the nectar.
In this season of hope, remember to find time to sit still and hold fast to the people who you love. Remember the dear departed patriarchs and matriarchs who have influenced and shaped you into the people you are today. Happy holidays and keep looking for the hummingbirds every summer.