Here we have upon the sand ,
A seagull feather,
That once was fanned
Across the sky and water blue,
Until it landed
Next to you.
And there it rests in its new space
Amid the sticks
It's out of place.
And yet its colors, gray and white
Just blend right in
It looks just right
Next to those sticks of white and gray
Which came from somewhere
Far away.
Both washed upon the shore 'tis true
And though so different
Are similar too.
This picture and those words are a weak, hastily-written attempt to say that although the elements of the photo above are different, they have something in common. The feather from a seagull and the sticks from a tree share an almost identical color which is only apparent when they're close together.
This sort of reminds me of Thanksgiving, believe it or not.
Those of you shaking your head, furrowing your brow and
I'll tell you.
We gather with our families and friends this time of year, flung together like this feather and these sticks. We're each unique; some of us are feathers, others are sticks. Not really, just metaphorically* speaking. And yet in spite of our differences, we share something in common. We're family.
(In the Chesapeake Bay extended family, I'll be the feather and my two sisters can be the sticks. According to the Book of Sibling Rivalry it states very clearly on page 13 paragraph 1 that the oldest child gets to be the feather in any analogy* where the only other option is a stick.)
Who in your family stands out and how are they different from the rest of your family?
* I've just arrived home to a dark house after a long day at the paying job and a 2-hour, one-way commute thanks to bad drivers, accidents and Thanksgiving traffic on Route 17. Therefore I can't hold my eyes open long enough to look up the difference between metaphor and analogy, but hopefully you understand what I'm trying to say.
Even if I don't.
20 comments:
That is one deep post! I love the metaphor, and it's what makes each of us uniquely different but genetically the same....siblings.
And being the oldest, I'm glad I get to be the feather!
I might have to fight Grandma J for the top spot here..without too much age revealing nonsense!
It is so nice to sit down in the afternoon (aah) and know that in a minute I am going to have a chuckle about something that cbw has written half a world away!
It is also nice to be able to rest the end of my spine that I just hurt carrying a too heavy bucket of Chlorine for the pool...mmm...oops...not a wise idea before an impending 24 hour Thanksgiving travel experience!
NOW what was this post about.. oh yes, feathers and sticks...well I am definitely the odd one out in my family but definitely not the oldest, so what does that make me..?
A crazy woman..is what the grandson's friend said to him at Grandparent's Day when I was introduced...
"your Grandmother is crazy "...
"No she isn't ...why is she crazy"? (thanks Isaac)
because she has short hair!
????
Yep we are all different, and I might be the crazy one, depending on who YOU are!!! Or how long your hair is?!
In our small gathering I am the feather also amongst a bunch of sticks. I always end up sitting there wondering where 'my people' are and how I ended up with this bunch. Lovely as they are.
A toast to all of the diversity in family gatherings that make it amusing and blog/commentator fodder! Enjoy y'all.
WV: annon. I remain annon in a room with this familiar bunch. Sort of like Vegas, minus the sex and alcohol. (Ok, so not very clever, but its past 1:30 am; what do you want from a holiday insomniac?)
Good post CBFeather! Even though I am not the oldest in the Totally Dysfunctional Family-I am the feather. A turkey feather!
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I'm with Re, I want to be a stick too! Though most of my family is feathers, so I guess I fit in that way. LOL
As for odd family members, let's face it, we're ALL odd. But for the sake of the post, I pick my older brother, David. Not only is he skinny as a rail in a family of fluffy feathers, he very much keeps to himself. You really have to hit on the right topic or ask the right questions to get him to have a regular conversation.
I on the other hand, never know when to shut up! I have that middle child symptom of wanting attention, so I'll talk to anyone about anything. LOL
WV... cransunc. What happens to bad cranberries that don't float.
I don't have time to look at a pile of crap on the beach and search for some family resemblences, which is probably why I'm the stick?!
But, last night my partner and I won our division in this tennis league that is really a small between-the-main-season league, but it was fun. Now we have play-offs the first two weekends in December. I know it doesn't have a lot to do with sticks and feathers, but I needed to tell someone!
Happy Thanksgiving!
-Middle Sis
Oh I am loving the photo .. its truly wonderful as is the sentiment you provided and I agree, as the older sister, that we definitely rate being the feather to their stick(s).
I am so thankful to have you as a friend and I cannot wait til February to see you and my other BFFs in VA .. so there might have to be an interim visit, I am going to work on the girls with cars ..
Give everyone you love a hug from me!
Just call them both a "metanalogy" and you'll cover all the bases.
I, too, am the oldest, so - hooray! - I get to be the feather. And you know what they say about birds of a feather. Not that it's relevant here or anything.
Hope the CB family has a wonderful Thanksgiving!
My word ver is "cornb" and I'm wondering why they left off the "read" to make "cornbread".
WHEW! Thank goodness there is ONE perk to being the oldest!! It's comforting to know that I am allowed to choose which form I will take in nature-related family metaphors.
There will be 29 people at my house Friday. Three (possibly 4) will stand out. I won't have to point them out to you...
This is wonderful! No, really! I send you all my very best and hugs as well. Have a wonderful day tomorrow. Lord knows you deserve it;)
Good! I'd much rather be a feather than a stick, and since I'm the oldest, too, I get my way, too!
It seems that there are a lot of "feathers" in this group (maybe us "oldest siblings" have to stick together?) I would have to say that I am the odd one out in my family, although with that crew, it might be a good thing! BHE - I think my youngest may be dining at your house on Friday, make her behave!
And for any of you, who like me, need to feel better about themselves by whatever means possible... My Thanksgiving gift to you is www.peopleofwalmart.com. There are hardly words.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I'll be the Turkey feather with the wonky teeth at BHE's. Look for me!
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Grandma J. - It's fun, isn't it?
Annie-I hope your back feels better before your trip. Perhaps you should ask the doctor for some pain medication just in case. Back pain is one of the worst pains there is, and being trapped on a plane withit sounds like my worst nightmare. Have a safe trip, let somebody else carry your bags, and hopefully we can meet in February.
maria - You really do make me laugh, because I often call this group "a bunch" and wonder how I ended up here but it's also a lot of fun and never a dull moment. Indeed it does make for the best blog fodder, these families of ours. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your bunch.
NNG-We two feathers will hopefully see each other this weekend. Remind me not to leave any voice mail messages that may later end up on the internet. Same with pictures. BHE isn't having a hillbilly parade, I hope?
AM-You're too funny. (I sent you an e-mail on an unrelated topic.)
Kate-I agree - we are all odd, that's what makes it fun. It would be boring if we were all so-called "normal," I think. (Of course I say that because I wouldn't know normal if it smacked me on the head.) You sound very much like my middle sis, who my mother says was vaccinated with a phonograph needle. She has always loved to talk, probably so that she'd get a shred of attention.
Middle Sis- It was just this sort of attitude, i.e. art is crap, that caused you to get the bad grade in Cinema as an Art Form in college when I got the A--even though I missed most of the classes. Maybe when you were vaccinated with that phonograph you had a bad reaction which caused you to rebel against gray areas and cling to the black and white obvious. Congratulations on your tennis victory. Have a great Thanksgiving - it will just be Baby Sis and the parental units here. I'll send you an e-mail about your question about Christmas.
Daryl-Thanks and I'm going to be there in February even if I have to hitchhike to get there. Have a fantastic Thanksgiving with the Toonman.
Meg-I like the new word and will be using it often in the future.
BHE-You are too funny. Tell me, will either of the 3 or 4 oddballs be bearing firearms? This will be helpful to know as I likely will want to steer clear of the skeetshooting area if that's the case.
MPM-You too, enjoy those babies of yours.
TSA-Excellent. Isn't it funny how many oldest children there are in the blog fest group?
Breezeway-I have seen that site and, as they say around here, it ain't right! It's very funny. Some of those had to have been taken at the Gloucester Wal-Mutant. Either that or they have kinfolk running around up over there.
NNG-I'm bringing two pairs of wonkey teeth in case I lose one. Or in case a stray bullet from one of BHE's relatives takes my first pair out.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving and enjoy those relatives - especially the odd ones. Just remember, it's those oddballs who make life interesting and unpredictable. Plus they make me laugh. A lot.
I think I'm less a feather and more a porcupine quill.
Mrs.F. - That's not a bad thing, in fact you should be proud.
Here's to the porcupine.
So glad we crossed paths my friend. God must know when we need laughing buddies! For life!
I am getting my giggle on now!
Love You.
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I am probably the one in my family that is different. I think I am perfectly normal, but I would imagine my family would disagree....
Have a great Thanksgiving! Hopefully we will make to BHE's on Thursday!
and a Happy Thanksgiving to you too cbw...thinking of you all having a wonderful time with family while I sweat in the heat here, pack bags, mop floors...my son says I am not allowed to go out and play tennis tonight...oh well!
ps Love the photo!
pps Nice to know I am not the only crazy person!
Just had a piece of leftover pizza. Sitting at the computer in a terrifically messy office, giant cat pinning me to the chair, considering going over to Mom's to mash potato3s and cough on her.
Shower? Maybe.
Listening to "Alice's Restaurant" in a minute. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, my friends.
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