I had an unexpected visitor last night. All that remains are a few tiny brown and white feathers… and lingering questions about whether I had a visit from a divine winged messenger.  

Let me tell you about it.  

It had been a heartwarming and unusually busy day of gathering with friends from many dimensions of life. Driving home through the dark, rainy evening, I reflected on the day, basking in gratitude for the meaningful conversations, encounters, and relationships.  My final stop had been the Christmas party at Well for the Journey. There, I visited with many soul friends and colleagues who mean so much to me. As a co-founder of Well for the Journey some twenty years ago, watching the mission flourish has brought me immense joy and gratefulness.  

My husband was out of town for the night on business, so when I unlocked the back door and entered the house, I expected to be warmly greeted by Bailey, our dog. Instead, Bailey bolted out the door, clearly bothered by something flapping overhead.  Startled at first, I relaxed a bit when I realized that it was not a bat. (Thank you, God!) Nevertheless, I kept my raincoat on, with the hood over my head, as I assessed the situation. How did you get in? How do I get you out? I quickly walked around the house closing all the doors to the rooms so I could isolate the bird to the family room and hallway areas.

The tiny brown and white bird swooped from one side of the family room to the other, then paused to perch atop the curtain cornice near the Christmas tree.  I opened the windows and doors and whispered encouragement, but she refused to leave. Periodically, she would disappear in the Christmas tree, reappear, and flit across the room. She seemed most comfortable in the tree.  Not a surprise.

Accepting that the bird was going to stay for a while, I took off my coat and got curious. What kind of bird are you? I took out my cell phone and texted a picture and a video to my birdwatching trio of dear friends. Becky, the artist and bird-lover, looked carefully at the shape of the bird and guessed it was a sparrow. She sent me some close-up photos of sparrows that she found online, and I determined it was a female. 

I tried opening the windows and doors again. Instead, she flew down the hallway to some unknown corner.  This brought me some peace; she had her area, and I had mine.  

I prepared a small dinner, sat on the sofa, and pondered the situation.  When we have unusual visits from the natural world, animals, or dreams, they sometimes convey important messages from beyond. And these December days leading up to Christmas are filled with ancient and contemporary stories of angels. Just a few days earlier, I was doing some creative writing about angels and their presence throughout history. The angels’ first words to people they encounter are “Do not fear!” They appear in unexpected places and ways.  

As for birds, they have been called divine winged messengers. Across time and cultures, birds have been seen as symbols of divine inspiration, connecting earth and heaven. Winged creatures that fly, birds are associated with the element of air and powers of thought, wisdom, intuition, and knowledge. Some people claim that birds try to bring us specific messages, like angels.

Sparrows, I learned, are small birds with powerful meaning. They are highly social birds associated with community, teamwork, and cooperation. One website revealed that they also represent finding joy in the little things in life. Also, they are thought to bring good luck.  

I was intrigued. Maybe I should just say “thank you” and stop overthinking.  

I decided that my bird friend and I would peacefully co-exist for the night, and I would deal with getting her back outside in the light of day. Before I went to bed, I searched for her, but she was quiet and presumably sleeping. I tucked myself in behind the closed bedroom door and went to sleep pondering the symbolism and good messages from my bird friend. All was quiet for the night. 

In the morning, she slept in. I was awake for several hours before I heard a brief chirp echo from the upstairs hallway. I discovered her on the window sill just outside my office. As I write this, I now realize a synchronicity: I have been writing a book about the spiritual metaphor of bird nests and the everyday ways we can nest to connect with God! I suspect that my bird friend had nested in the plant outside my office door for the night. Maybe she’s bringing me good luck and encouragement.  

As I approached her, she flew to another window down the hall and looked outside longingly into the sunny day. One by one, I opened all the windows and screens in the hallway. It took only minutes for her to fly out, returning to her natural habitat. There you go!  

I am still trying to make sense of it all. But that’s the thing with divine messengers and angels—they don’t make sense to our skeptical minds. Faith transcends logic. We are invited to open our hearts to the magic of the season. I am still trying to open and listen to what is unfolding from the visit from my sparrow friend. 

Friends, be on the lookout for unusual visitors. Tis the season for Love to break through! 

Love, 

Mabeth 

December 12, 2024 , Sparks, Maryland