It was a sick day. One of those days where you wake up with a stuffy head and can’t think straight. I dragged myself outside and walked to work in the light rain, dutifully making progress towards my daily 10,000 steps. I answered emails and attended meetings in my zombied state. I called my husband to make a frozen pizza for dinner as I witnessed my energy deplete.

Lunch time rolled around and it took all my will power to go outside. Usually I enjoy a bird walk around the campus, but my groggy head complained with each step. Giving up, I turned towards the office to rest, or perhaps take a quick sitting up in my chair. Then I heard it: a Steller’s Jay.

Ten years ago, I would watch with delight as my coworkers fed the jays peanuts at the windowsill. These days, I don’t see them that often anymore. Hearing the cackling squawk of the jay was enough to pop me out of my funk. Checklist initiated. Birding ensued. It was a shorter walk, but it was full of songs and life. Leave it to birds to provide healing energy.