PROXIMITY

Cardinals are not fair weather birds, moving to milder climates when things get icy. The couple weathers all seasons together in one place. Home is the same home, spring and winter. And when the cold is severe, instead of flying, they fluff their feathers and stick it out. They remember the early days of focused attention. Feeding and sacrificing to meet the needs of the other. They’ve worked together side-by-side every spring, building and keeping… both making home. Safe. Secure. He carries scars from protecting. She bears the marks of nesting. Oh the stories they could tell from the history they’ve made. So when temps drop overnight or after a fight, when only the sound of ice breaking and cracking in their hearts can be heard, they remain. Proximity warms what is frozen. Nearness binds what is broken.

12 x 9 in
​mixed media painting