January 13, 2026
Evening Reflections
A Hummingbird and a Red-Tailed Hawk at Sunset…
Tonight’s walk around Oxford Basin felt like a quiet conversation with the world. The sun was settling softly, and the palm trees stretched their reflections across the water like brushstrokes. Everything slowed. The basin held the sky perfectly, as if it didn’t want to let the day go just yet.
A little hummingbird came out to greet me, hovering for a moment, delicate and brave. I love how they show up when you least expect them, tiny reminders that wonder often arrives quietly.
As I looked up, I noticed all the seagulls flying west together, heading off as if they were clocking out from In-N-Out Burger. I always see them gathered in that parking lot when I drive by, and tonight it felt like a familiar inside joke between us. Same birds, same route, same comfort.
Just as I started walking away, I looked up one more time and saw a red-tailed hawk perched on a light post. Strong. Still. Completely present. It felt like the perfect ending punctuation to the evening.
I often wonder if I find the birds, or if they find me. Maybe it’s both. Or maybe it’s simply that when you take the time to look around, life reveals itself in the most beautiful ways.
These rituals of slowing down, noticing, and appreciating have changed my life. There is so much beauty everywhere, waiting patiently to be seen.
Tonight, my heart is full. I am deeply grateful.
Capturing beauty, sharing lights.
—April
Evening Gratitude Thought:
Grateful for slowing down enough to notice: a hummingbird hello, seagulls heading home, a hawk standing watch, and the quiet reminder that beauty is always nearby.
