Shades of Gray

I sat at the kitchen window this morning watching the visitors to the bird feeder.  Eventually, I got out the bird identification book.  A number of birds I saw were a combination of black, white and gray. My curiosity got the best of me.  What were they?  If one looked closely, it was clear that they were not all alike.  Markings, beak shape, tail length and patterns of movement were different.  I decided that I was seeing black-capped chickadees, nuthatches and juncos.


I sit looking out life's window at the world flying by.  People and situations which initially appear as combinations of "black, white and gray" need closer examination.  Who and what are they actually?  It isn't only curiosity that makes me ponder these questions....it is emotional survival.  What are their markings and what do they mean?


I pray for discernment.