The Christmas visitor.

I have a fond and overwhelming belief, echoed in Native American philosophy, that nature talks to us. The only difficulty lies in realising that it is happening all the time, and then, in reading the mesage.

Sadly Christmas has recently lost som of its magic for me, until a few minutes ago, that is. Anne and I were talking about Christmas presents, when I hushed her, "Look, look!"

There, in our lounge, happy as a lark, perched at the very top of our Christmas tree, was a little visitor, a female sunbird, what you probably call a hummingbird. What message she had for us, I don't know, but in that moment the joy, the delight in Christmas came flooding, flooding back.

We were delighted, and I took this photograph of our little friend.

The following quote is from the book, "Medicine Cards":

"If Hummingbird is your personal medicine, you love life and its joys. Your presence brings joy to others... You know instinctively where beauty resides and, near or far, you journey to your ideal... Hummingbird will no doubt give you a flash of spirit, darting here, there, and everywhere... Beauty is the target, and Hummingbird's mission is to spread joy or to be destroyed."

The painting behind her is by my good friend, George Botha.

Now I can wish you all a joyful and meaningful Christmas and, if you are lucky, no happy-happy stuff.

Ryno.