Thursday, May 6, 2010

a dove

The vision of a bird- heart has recently crystallized in my mind this past week. A vision of the heart being a dove, specifically, the dove sent out of Noah's ark (Genesis 8:6). I'm not sure what became of the raven who was sent out previous to the dove, but that might be more tangential and complicate making any metaphorical conclusions. True to the story the bird was sent several times. Once returning right away, not finding a resting place, then a second bearing evidence of the journey, and then the third, never returning. It found it's resting place. The place that felt right.
I had always thought of a bird symbolizing "flighty" behavior. Certainly not a symbol of steady and systematic search for what would be right. But now, seeing it as a series of heart felt searches or journeys, it has become my explanation to myself about myself. Finding a resting place, it is an accurate portrayal of how I have thought the heart seeks out a home. When the place was found, it stays. Not longing for before.