The Christmas Songbird

A story about the value of showing unconditional love.

Sonita the songbird loved waking up the Clark family each morning with her beautiful voice. But one morning shortly before Christmas, they left! Whatever was she going to do for Christmas?

 Like clockwork, Sonita the songbird would perch on the branch of the Clark’s large oak tree nearest to the upstairs windows. Once there, she would sing beautiful choruses.

And, like clockwork, each member of the family would come to their window and say, “Good morning, Sonita! Thanks, as usual, for the lovely wakeup call.”

Whether rain or shine, she would make the sacrifice to go and sing for them because she realized it made them happy. It also made her feel good to be able to share love with her voice.

One morning, Sonita saw that the Clarks were awake even before she showed up, and were busy loading up the car.

“Oh, morning, Sonita,” said Josh Clark as he looked up and saw her. “We’re heading off to Aspen for the Christmas holidays. See you when we get back!”

Sonita flew away disappointed. She wondered how she would manage for the entire Christmas season without sharing her musical love with the Clarks.

Then she thought, “Wait a minute. I share my voice because it makes others happy.” She then declared, “There must be another family around here that would enjoy hearing me sing to them each morning.”

With that, she set off down the block and found another home with a tall oak tree. She perched and immediately started singing. Shortly after, a little girl opened a window and shrieked, “Look, mom! A Christmas songbird, just like I wanted!”

When Sonita saw that, she felt fulfilled. She realized that once she had love to share, her duty was to share with anyone she came across. And even though she had a special place in her heart for the Clarks, she was happy singing for anyone who needed that love.

Moral of the story:  Sharing intentional love unconditionally is the best way to make a positive impact on the world. 

The Christmas Songbird Self-Reflection

Sonita loved the impact her morning singing had on the Clark family. It made them happy and started their day off on a beautiful note. To Sonita, this was a great way to show them that she loved them.

But while Sonita was busy sharing her love with the Clarks, she neglected to see that there were others who could benefit from that same love. So when the family went away for Christmas, she was left feeling empty. She thought there was no one to share her love with for the holidays.

Then it hit her that her special gift ought to be shared with as many people as she could find.

Sometimes when you get stuck in the routine of life, you overlook that there are people who need your support. Sure, you spend your days supporting and loving your core group of family and friends. But the need for love extends way beyond that.

You would be surprised to see just how impactful it would be for you to show love to someone new. When you take time out of your routine to be kind to others, it brings you fulfillment.

Showing love to others who need it also gives them hope. It helps them to see that in the midst of negativity, there is something positive to live for.

Especially during the season of love and togetherness, making a special effort to be good to others goes a very long way.

Self-Reflection Questions: 

1. In what ways can I show love to each person I interact with?

2. How can I share my time effectively and intentionally without neglecting my family and friends?

3. What resolutions can I set to ensure I can show love to others?

4. How can I measure how effective I am at loving and interacting intentionally?

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas,

The Living Every Minute Team