I love the many hues of blue.

Powder and sky blue remind me of the vastness of the endless open skies. Turquoise, Teal, Cyan, Aqua, and Cerulean appear in the waves of the mighty sea. Light blue is often the stunning shade of a newborn’s eyes. I’m drawn to clothing in tints of midnight blue, Prussian blue, navy, and cobalt. Royal blue is a vibrant, dark, and elegant shade. Once you research the names of this colour God created, you discover there’s no end to the exciting choices of shades. There are Aegean Blue, Air Force Blue, Alice Blue, Azure, Bondi Blue, Carolina Blue, Cornflower Blue, Electric Blue, Indigo, Maya Blue, Periwinkle and Ultramarine. Any paint store will have hundreds of choices labelled with unique names.

I hope you’re not feeling blue after that introduction!

My obsession with the Great Blue Heron is well known among my friends and family. I have hundreds of photos of this bird. I love nature walks and am always thrilled to capture the many poses this exotic bird assumes.

I am continually startled and amazed by the many sightings I have had over the years. I spend endless hours sitting and taking photos. The shades of blue in the Great Blue Heron’s plumage are striking.The wingspan of this bird can reach 7 feet (201 cm). Great Blue Herons wade slowly or stand statue-like, stalking fish and other prey in shallow water or open fields. They can remain as still as a statue for hours on end. Then, out of the stillness, you can see their lightning-fast thrust of the head as they aim with their strong bills to capture a fish. Their slow wingbeats, tucked-in neck, and trailing legs, with what appear to be pointed toes, create a majestic image in flight.

I have been blessed with memorable moments while observing this almost prehistoric-looking creature.

One sunny afternoon, sitting on a favourite rock by the pond, I was amazed to watch what looked like a ballet as a pair of Great Blue Herons performed a mating ritual. It was magical and graceful.

It’s also fascinating to see a Great Blue Heron (which weighs about 6 lbs., or 2.722 kilograms) swallow a fish weighing up to 1 lb., or 0.454 kg, and measuring 12 to 20 inches or 30.48 to 50.8 cm, in length. They swallow their prey whole and headfirst, relying on throats with highly elastic skin. I have been spellbound as a Great Blue Heron shakes its catch to break or relax sharp spines before gulping it down, as it slides down its long, narrow esophagus.

After the number of sightings I’ve enjoyed, I was curious to look up what a Great Blue visitation means. I don’t put any weight on these explanations; however, after doing the research, I can now share what I’ve learned from my observations.

The Great Blue Heron wades into the water, waiting for the precise moment to strike. Their patience seems limitless.

Their stillness reminds me to be still before the Lord and wait on Him. Waiting has been a recurring message the Lord has imparted to me throughout life’s journey. Observing the Great Blue as it waits patiently for its daily provision is a good reminder of all the ways God has provided for me over the years.

Herons are solitary creatures that can thrive on their own. Their presence symbolizes strength of character, self-determination, and the ability to find balance as they stand on those skinny legs that look so precariously weak. Sometimes, they balance on a single leg.

There were times in my life when my foundation seemed shaky, when the rug was pulled completely from under my feet. My legs felt as weak as a heron’s legs appear. Yet, by the grace of God, I could stand. I could stand for truth because I had the solid rock of God’s strong and firm foundation beneath me. However, unlike the heron, I could not live in isolation. Though I have lived on my own for years, I still needed the loving community of my church family, friends and extended family to help me take flight.

The Great Blue can be seen on land and water, and it is revered in some mythologies as a messenger from the Divine. It symbolizes the pursuit of deeper spiritual knowledge hidden beneath the surface. In some Native American cultures, the heron is regarded as a spirit animal embodying wisdom, discernment, and transformation.

These are all myths; yet I find them relatable to our spiritual walk. I hope and pray that as we seek a deeper, closer walk with Jesus each day, we will develop greater depth of spiritual knowledge, wisdom, and good judgment. Becoming like Jesus, transformed into His likeness, enables us to become “fishers of men.” By the power of His Holy Spirit, as with the example of the beautiful Great Blue, if we spend time in patience and stillness before God, He will widen our wingspan and help us soar on wings like the Great Blue.

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:14).

“He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth'” (Psalm 46:10).

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

Susan Page is the daughter of the King, His beloved child, wonderfully forgiven and blessed! Susan longs to age gracefully, becoming more like Jesus as she seeks the hidden treasures revealed to her through Scripture, literature, the arts, humankind, and nature.