I'll Fly Away

While attending a worship service this past Sunday, one of the songs that was sung was "I'll Fly Away". The song was a melodic Baptist standard and was sung acapella as is the tradition in the church we attended. The song was perhaps a bit more poignant this time than in the past. The opening verse of the song says, "Some glad morning when this life is over, I'll fly away..." it made me think of something that had been on my mind for the past few days. One of our neighbors had passed away a few days ago. His wife once told me of the appearance of a red bird when she had lost loved ones in her family. The morning after her husband's passing while standing of the porch with my grandson, a red bird began to sing from an overhead wire. His song made us take notice of his nearby perch and his vibrant red color. We knew the bird was a male by his crimson plummage. My thoughts went immediately to the red bird's timely appearance in my neighbor's story. Since my brother-in-law was having serious heart surgery, it gave me pause to consider the story. I thought to myself, that's her story not mine, nothing to worry about as the surgery had been successful. My grandson and I went inside to answer the phone that was ringing. The call was from a friend telling me about the neighbor's passing the night before at 10:30pm.
I was initially taken aback by the news and had to wait until the news had sunk in to react. The story of the appearance of red birds seemed to have borne out the events of the previous night. For indeed, this "glad morning" my neighbor had "flown away". Leaving this earthly plain as a red bird has a certain appeal as we see our soul set free. Free to soar. Free to fly.
The red bird's song was a familiar one to me. His call to "Purdy, Purdy, Purdy" had been the subject of a discussion that I had with my youngest granddaughter who had come for a visit the previous summer. I had told her upon her return home that she needed to come back as this bird was "driving me crazy" calling her. We had laughed about the bird's song when she was here. "There he goes again," I would say, "calling you". "Hear him saying, 'Pretty, Pretty, Pretty', to you." "Walk out there, so he can see you!"
My neighbor may have been calling to his wife on his "glad morning" after the many weary days of 90+ years. Reminding her of her story with a loud and crystal-clear song, "Purdy, Purdy, Purdy" ( I use southern dialect as I know he is a Southern red bird.)
Perhaps "one glad morning" you, too, will "fly away to a home on God's celestrial shore". After many "weary days", you will fly to a "land where joy shall never end". As you contemplate your soul taking flight, be grateful for the promises of God. Love God. Love one another. Prepare to "fly away" some "glad morning"!