A HOPEFUL HEART â—½ YOU
Lessons from the Hummingbird
by Christina Oberon
A close friend recently sent me an unexpected message:
"Something came to mind while I was watching a hummingbird. You remind me of that bird with your energy, and the flowers are women. Just as the hummingbird moves from flower to flower, you go from lady to lady, pollinating wisdom and kindness."
That sweet compliment made me stop and think about why hummingbirds have always captivated me.
If there’s one creature that never fails to stir my heart, it’s the hummingbird. Years ago, when someone asked why I loved them, I explained, "They move from flower to flower, sipping the sweetest nectar and always pressing forward. That’s how I try to live my life." These tiny jewels of the sky carry a beauty
and vitality that mesmerize. Beyond their dazzling feathers and lightning-fast wings, they have much to teach us about hope, resilience, and living fully.
From my kitchen window, I often watch them at the feeder. Their wings beat up to 80 times per second, blurring the air around them. They hover gracefully, darting with their own rhythm. Watching them, I often think about how life doesn’t always have to be rushed, but it does reward persistence, even when challenges feel overwhelming.
And oh, their colors! Hummingbirds don’t actually have pigments that make them glow. Instead, their feathers reflect light, scattering it like prisms. Isn't that cool? In the right sunlight, they transform into flying gemstones.
They’re also incredible travelers. Some species migrate up to 3,000 miles, crossing mountains and oceans, tiny hearts pounding tirelessly toward places of sustenance and new life. What a hopeful image that even the smallest among us can undertake monumental journeys, fueled by instinct, faith, and perseverance.
But my favorite lesson from hummingbirds is that they remind us to savor sweetness. These little creatures drink up to twice their body weight in nectar each day, fueling their boundless energy. They teach me to pause, to sip deeply from the beauty God has placed all around us, and to let it sustain me.
So next time a hummingbird flashes across your path, pause and watch. See its fearless flight, its radiant colors, its tiny, relentless heart. May it remind you that hope can come in small forms, beauty can shine in brief moments, and even the smallest life can carry mighty lessons about how to live with joy.
Tiny though they are, hummingbirds embody resilience, wonder, and delight. If they can carry so much in their fragile frames, surely we can carry a little hope in our hearts too.