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Cheryl Armstrong's avatar

Wah! I totally get the worry & sadness. My birds (outdoor visitors to a seed diner, a suet diner & outdoor water fountain spa) are my 'pets' & my friends. A pair of California Towhees pecking around my patio & showering in the fountain warm my heart & make me smile. Once in a great while there's a lone Towhee. Where's its spouse?! I fret. It doesn't take much to send me into a spiral of doom. Take care, dear Katie, we love you.

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Katie MacBride's avatar

Thank you, Cheryl, love you

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heydave56's avatar

Well, shit. Now I'm tearing up too. In a breakfast café.

Thanks for the words and the way they resonated with me.

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Katie MacBride's avatar

Thank you! Hope you still enjoyed breakfast!

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Amac's avatar

Beautifully written. Would you mind sharing the book title?

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Katie MacBride's avatar

Thank you! I will DM you the title (it’s a very minor spoiler; I don’t think people will know it just by the description but I wouldn’t want to ruin it for anyone who might care. if you still want the title, I’ll send it.)

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Amac's avatar

Ah yes appreciate not spoiling it, happy to have it over DM :)

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Kristin's avatar

This was such a beautiful post. Thanks for sharing!

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Katie MacBride's avatar

Thank you!

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Casey O'Brien's avatar

Awesomely beautiful piece, Katie. 💕

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Katie MacBride's avatar

Thank you, Casey 🥹

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Leigh Ann Townsend's avatar

Nature bats last, as we say in our house. I loved how you wove in seeing only a part of someone's life; it's so important to remind ourselves of that. So sorry for your loss. I've witnessed or tried to help out in some natural crises and I've mostly ended up so sad! That said, I'm always glad to see the beauty in the only "church" I feel I can attend.

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Tara Y's avatar

I was curious how these different braided narratives - the audiobook, the bird, recovery - would intersect, and you brought them together in a really sad but fascinating way. I saw the pics on your social media of Reba and I was sad when she stoped attending the nest. Closure in life so rarely exists

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Katie MacBride's avatar

Thanks Tara ❤️

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Dennis Mills's avatar

About 19 years ago I had a heart attack, which forced me to reevaluate my life and the choices I had made. I was 49.

Today I am 68. I was off work from the heart attack for about 9 months. During that time, I would sit at the window and write and observe.

One day, I heard a thud, and looked out the window to see what had happened. Right below me, on our front step, was a robin, who had flown into the window. Beside the prone robin was another robin standing guard. I watched them for many minutes- over 30– and they did not move.

I went downstairs on opened the door and walked around them. My neighbour was in her yard. I said,” you have to look at this.”

She told me that “Robins mate for life.”

The mate was standing over their beloved as they were dying. It was so beautiful and sad. Even my walking right by them did not distract the mate from his guard.

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Ellen's avatar

Excellent way to weave recovery and nature together. We share similar views of HP. Thank you for sharing this, I needed it today.

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Katie MacBride's avatar

I’m so glad 💛

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