The Ruby Feather

I watched a video recently of a Rainbow Starfrontlet Hummingbird (located in and about Peru); and was stunned at the beauty that this type of bird exhibits time and time again. This curious and delightful beings bring out a lightness and hope in and to me.

I was reminded of one of my prized possessions, which I have lost track of twice now—a shining iridescent hot pink-red throat feather from a Ruby Throated Hummingbird. I found it caught in the material on one of our backyard chaise lounge chairs, and I adored it from the start. I kept it in a plush velvet ring box, where I would gaze upon its beauty regularly. And then I lost it somehow.

The exact memory is fuzzy—all I know is that somehow I lost track of it, and as much as I searched the area and floor I wasn’t able to find it. Though it was sad, I knew that if I was meant to find it again I would, and sent prayers thankful for having found it and enjoyed it for the time that I did.

I found it again months later, and I think I just saw it on the carpet not far from where I searched previously. It was looking a little worse for wear. The feather itself had gaps in how it lay, but it was still one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen. I laid it in the ring jewelry box again, along with another very tiny white feather that had made its way into my collection.

After many years of traveling and having my belongings in storage, I’ve recently started going through and organizing my things. Seeing the hummingbird video reminded me of that feather, and I realized that I have no idea where it is, and haven’t seen it for many years. I consider it to be lost again, and look forward to hopefully finding it once more. Many consider diamonds and expensive jewels to be among the things they cherish the most; for me, it is a hummingbird feather.