Hudson On the Hudson

 In 2017 someone in a shoreline restaurant saw a white bird frozen in the river waving wings. Workers in the restaurant looked closer, and it was a swan. Swans are not known to be on the river. Together they formed a rescue mission successfully. Eventually, there were two; then, there was one again. Local neighborhood people that visit the river for the view begin feeding the swan from time to time; however, the swan is perfectly able to survive by itself. Now, in winter snow, the bird stays near the restaurant and has shelter plus food. Recently I began to visit the river park more, and when I saw this huge swan, I could not believe my eyes. A female and male mallard duck pair seemed to be near the swan.

Two days ago, before it snowed, I rode my Spyder Cam Am down to the river again. There was the swan, and I parked to see the swan and its friends. The swan was on the boat ramp sitting calmly and did not move when I rode nearby. Within a minute, a Subaru drove in and parked, and a lady hopped out and went straight away to within a yard of the birds. She sat on a cement deck in the middle of the ramp and began to talk to the swan. I silently watched as the swan seemed to talk back to her. The two clearly knew each other, and I could feel their loving energy. They were old friends. I watched wonderfully as the swan’s black web feet appeared, and I thought it would walk up to her. She had no food.

Several minutes passed, and I decided to wait and speak with her about these three odd feathered friends, two floating and one sitting. She often visits the river to see this white feathered friend. She is a widow of twenty-two years and comes to the river like many to chill the mind. Her life is pretty quiet. She has been visiting the swan for five years and noticed the mallard couple showing up a couple of years back. She says they are together constantly now. She has a love connection with the swan. She says she talks to him, and he talks to her. He has given her much comfort over the years.

Then another car drove up, and a lady quickly jumped out with a bag. She went down to the river and dumped birdseed on the ramp near the swan which had returned to the water. The swan swam to the mound of food and began eating. The seeds were gone within minutes. This lady came to say hello, and she, too, knows the story of the swan. She also visits it whenever she sees it out her window. 000She shared that everyone in the community loves the swan. She shared that swan’s mate for life, and there used to be another one, but no one knows why the smaller one disappeared. She wondered if the male swan would continue to live here once the mate disappeared. Evidently, the male also disappeared for a few months but is back.

The people named him “Hudson.” I believe the people should name every bridge or monument.

We three new acquaintances began a conversation that led to another friendly exchange. People are smiling and nice everywhere we go, living everyday life. Wisdom of years teaches one to slow down and take in nature. Take a moment to breathe, turn off phones and computers, and be grateful to just be alive. Nature has a way of calming the mind and bringing people together, if only for a few minutes to share the calm water, the calm birds, the calm conversation of three ladies content with life such as it is, enjoying three birds floating on a river.

February, a month for love, reminds us that human nature is to care for every living thing; to think otherwise is rare. Love for the present moment. It is a beautiful gift to be alive, breathe fresh air, feel the sun on your face, and just be. Maybe Hudson was sent to unite people on the Hudson River.