Solitary Blue Herons

Every evening at dusk, I ride my bike in Asbury by a lake that has two solitary Blue Herons. Usually, they are on the same side of the lake and often they are standing quietly in the water. Blue Herons nest and do have families, but after that they spend most of their time alone. They are carnivores, eating fish and turtles and other creatures. It is easier to catch food when you are alone. There are also two white Egrets by themselves, socially distanced from the Blue Herons.

I can identify with both the Blue Heron and the Egret in their solitariness. For me there is no prey, but I am waiting to jump back into the stream of life. Where are the art museums, when can I sing without my iPhone, and do I still have any friends? I spend most of my time alone. I do not have the patience of these large birds, waiting with their darting eyes, but I hope that someday I will be able to move freely again.

I am trying to see something from the shore that will focus the hours of my life. My bike rides keep me physically tied to the earth and nature. Autumn is over, but without any change in the color of the leaves. New York beckons me from the horizon, but I have only been there once since March 13. That was my last haircut. My 30-year old son is shut in his modern apartment in Brooklyn and writes code for the financial world. I think it has been almost 10 months since I have seen him, but there is still Thanksgiving to look forward to.

With these various stresses, I know that I am lucky and I keep that in front of me. Yes there is isolation and I try to break the monotony with change. The Blue Herons and Egrets will return. And today is November 3, 2020 and that gets me very excited about the possibility of real change.