Light as a Feather

Summary

The article "Light as a Feather" recounts a personal story of the author's experience foraging for blackberries with their children, Alex and Sophia, and the significance of a hawk feather found during the outing, which became a cherished keepsake on the author's desk.

Abstract

The author, accompanied by their children, embarks on a blackberry foraging adventure at Ancil Hoffman Park. During their journey, the children discover a hawk feather, which sparks excitement and nostalgia for a school activity involving feather quills. The feather's discovery leads to a moment of connection and creativity, as the children suggest using it as a pen, echoing historical writing practices. The author is inspired to keep the feather on their office desk as a symbol of the day's joy and their children's imaginative spirit. The article concludes with a challenge to other writers to share stories about meaningful items on their desks, emphasizing the personal and emotional significance of such objects.

Opinions

The author values the feather as a symbol of a joyful memory and a connection to their children's creativity and innocence.
There is an appreciation for the simple pleasures and discoveries made in nature, as evidenced by the excitement over finding the feather.
The feather serves as a reminder of the past, harking back to the days of using quills for writing, and represents a bridge between history and the present.
The act of keeping the feather on the desk suggests that the author finds inspiration and motivation in personal mementos.
The author sees the desk item as more than just an object, but as a storytelling device that carries emotional weight and personal significance.

And why I keep it on my desk

Photo by author

“Let’s go foraging for blackberries at Ancil Hoffman Park,” I told Alex and Sophia, who were about 8 and 6 at the time.

We walked/jogged about half a mile on the shaded soft trails towards the blackberry bushes. Zipper bag in hand — ready to harvest, Alex stopped suddenly to pick up a brown and white hawk feather that rested lightly and mixed in with the trail.

“We could use it as a pen,” he exclaimed!

“Yeah, like we did in school,” Sophia chimed in.

We rejoiced in the feather, and like any modern mom with a social media account, I snapped a picture of the kids holding the feather.

“I’ll keep the feather in my office forever!”

“And don’t forget to get some ink and write with it, Mom,” Alex said.

I also challenge Barbara Dalton, Katie Michaelson, and all my wonderful Medium writer friends to tell us about their special item on the desk.