Morning Report: Japanese Iris

Hummingbirds have been a topic of self-care discussion in the My Doable Self-Care Plan 4-week Small Group. As I look into the image of these japanese iris in bloom, I see birds in flight and also, hovering, still in space with outstretched wings. Can you imagine the energy it takes to hold such a posture? … and breathe … !
Watching the New Hampshire PBS special on hummingbirds this week, I learned a few things about this bird that seem to be a wonderful metaphor for caregivers and adults living with chronic illness.
Flexibility ~ one of the most flexible birds, s/he is able to fly briefly backwards and hovers by employing a figure-8 wing movement.
Adaptation & Adjustment ~ the hummingbird adjusts and adapts as needed to her/his environment.
Energy Expense ~ always on overdrive, a hummingbird heart beats 600x/minute and up to 1200x/minute when in flight.
Nutrition ~ the hummingbird must consume many more times its body weight to have the energy to keep up.
Energy Conservation ~ in the evening, the hummingbird rests and stops; body temperature is reduced to mirror the temperature of the night air and the heart beat slows to a fraction of the daytime heartbeat; the bird enters a state of torpor. This respite enables her/him to survive the night.
Moving forward with a listening heart,
vision, inquiry, and action,
~ Mary