Feathered Friends

It could be chemo brain. Or just one of those things that, once a routine, you no longer recall how it all began. Suffice it to say that about four months ago I started picking up feathers on my walks. 

When I began chemo, it became especially important to me to move my body every day. At first it was walks up and down our little road in the woods. Later, I adopted Quail Hollow Ranch as my refuge and hiking place. I also began a ritual of walking by the ocean on chemo Thursdays. 

Somewhere along the way, in those early days of chemo, I began to pick up feathers in my path while on my daily walks. As the days and walks added up, I realized that I was making an important and amazing connection with our feathered friends. I began to find feathers every time I walked. Sometimes one or two, sometimes a dozen. Once, when faced with a difficult decision (whether or not to continue with chemo), I found an amazing array of feathers all in one spot along my path, guiding me to the right answer. 

As I accumulated a larger and larger bowlful of feathers, I decided that when I was finished with chemo I would do an art project with them. Perhaps I will make myself a pair of wings, that will allow me to take off and soar from this place, taking everything I've learned and incorporating it all into who I am now. I'll share more on that process when the time comes. 

I am looking forward to being done with chemo, but it will be hard to ever stop looking for feathers in my path.