As the crow flies

As the crow flies

I aspire to live as the crow flies.
Elizabeth Tarbox

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A crow is said to fly in a straight line from point of departure to destination, but that is not what I see. Crows fly in sweeping circular arcs across the apron of the sky, using all the available space from horizon to horizon before settling on the top swaying branch of the tallest tree.

You may think crows caw, that their voices are harsh. But I tell you a crow can whisper to its mate across a density of pines, and its voice is comfortable and reassuring. A crow is mighty in its passion, voracious in its appetite, and fearless in its flight. So I aspire to live as the crow flies and stretch my soul to meet the sky.


This meditation is reprinted with permission from Evening Tide: Meditations by Elizabeth Tarbox (1944–1999), first published in 1998 and recently republished by Skinner House Books (© 2011 Sarah Tarbox).

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