Depending on where you are from, you know the fourth gift is either four calling birds or four colly birds. ‘Colly’ is British for ‘coal dark’ (or grimy, but let’s stick with the coal dark) and would have meant black birds.
Black birds have been revered in many cultures as a symbol of the divine link. I have a friend who always takes it as an omen when he sees them. I am far more skeptical, but I still think that a link with whatever you consider divine is helpful and can be productive.
One of the reasons we like celebrating all the twelve days is because our farming ancestors used this time to relax and reassess and visit during the time when there was no work to do outside (indoor work was never finished). Work no longer stops for the winter, but the snow and the early dark still beckon for us to slow down and enjoy life differently.
We are in Buffalo, and it’s currently -17 degrees Fahrenheit (-8 C) and we have about 8 inches if snow. It’s been flurrying off and on all day. It’s the type of day where soft clothes and warm drinks are exactly what you want and need. And for me, that’s a chance to slow down and reconnect with myself and my family. And, by extension, the divine within.
I know I should be looking outward and recognizing the divine in you, and that’s wrong. That negativity, that deflection, that pushing away from self comfort into self criticism is harmful. Many of us do that, though. We put ourselves down and only focus on what needs to be done, not on what we’ve accomplished. In truth, it is often those of us who get the most done who only look at what we still need to do. I will slow down, I will look at what has been accomplished today, this week, this year that’s nearly over, and I will not beat myself up over what hasn’t been done yet.
So when I remember the Calling Birds, I will remember to be gentle with myself and recognize the divine link within.