Hummingbirds and Heart Heroes

Last week was a sad one for Broken Hearts’ families. We lost two sweet children to their congenital heart defects. Two-year-old Caleb Adamyk and 11-hour-old Tristin.

Over the weekend, a hummingbird flew toward my dining room window, hovered, looked inside and then flew away. We do not have hummingbird feeders, and I have never seen a hummingbird at my house before. 

Later, I remembered a passage in Bill Coon's book, SWIM: A Memoir of Survival, about how he saw a hummingbird for the first time in his life, and that's when he knew -- despite his failing heart -- he was eventually going to be OK. 

Thanks to Google and Yahoo, I learned this about hummingbirds:

“This energetic little bird migrates 1,800 miles from the eastern United States to spend winter in Central America. This distance alone indicates the hummingbirds’ stamina and perseverance. They can show us how to go the distance ... Hummingbirds have the advantage of seeing things from all angles and can show us how to expand our perceptions … The hummingbird serves to remind us of the beauty and wonder of the world. While their speed and sound may sometimes startle us, they help pull our attention out of the mundane so that we can acknowledge and appreciate the beauty of creation.”

Caleb Adamyk
March 20, 2009-Aug. 29, 2011

My hummingbird was a Godwink from Caleb and Tristin, two boys who defied odds by being here for the time they were here. Persevering and going the distance. Expanding our perceptions. Reminding us of beauty and wonder, and pulling our attention away from trivial matters to focus on what is important — focusing on faith, hope and love.

Remembering Caleb and Tristin, and all of our angels today, and keeping their families close to our hearts.