Lesson #1

Based on perhaps the longest casual observation of an individual black-capped chickadee, my book, Mr. Picky and Me: Lessons from a Master Chickadee, places the reader in the middle of the flock that Mr. Picky commands. This close-focus perspective of a single chickadee was both eye-opening and consciousness raising. Sharing Mr. Picky's life for nearly four years evidenced what a truly remarkable, intelligent, complex, and gifted being I discovered in him. This appreciation of a single chickadee provokes a new attitude regarding the fragility and sacredness of our planet. I trust that the tale of Mr. Picky's life will move readers to a heightened awareness of their personal relationship with and their impact on our nation's dwindling parks, preserves, and natural lands.

If this book leads readers to recognize the miracle of one tiny chickadee, perhaps it may also encourage them to open their eyes to the miracle of the All as well. Sages and mystics from virtually all faiths in all recorded ages have instructed us to look at nature as the teacher that reveals the sacred in both the individual and all of creation. I trust that my two-legged kind will grasp the message that Mr. Picky teaches and act accordingly rather than continue creating havoc and destruction in our natural lands.

May Mr. Picky's chickadee call lure my species gently to nature with eyes and ears alert, with open hearts, and with voices at rest. May the children of my kind learn to walk in harmony with the Web of Life. For the Good of All, may a tiny chickadee's teachings roost sweetly in your heart and take wing with your soul.

To learn more about the book, check out the website at http://www.chickadeenews.com