Why the hummingbird?

As a kid, I was always fascinated by hummingbirds; their speed and unpredictability were amazing to me. Every morning before school I would sit and watch them fly patterns around the hummingbird feeder in our backyard. I was pretty restless growing up, and this routine represents the first time that I can remember sitting still and galvanizing thought and observation with creativity and inspiration. It was my first creative space.

My brother-in-law also loves hummingbirds. He's battled major mental health and substance abuse issues in his past, but has been in recovery for a few years now. Our relationship has continued to blossom, and we've started to hang out every week, usually early in the morning. We sit, drink coffee, and chat about life. But every time a hummingbird pops up--we just stop talking and watch.