Swan Song
In my younger years, I never thought much about swans. Yes, they were certainly attractive birds yet were never any part of my life. That changed, however, in the early summer of 2011 shortly after I moved to Sun City (from Michigan) and began traveling along a residential route outside the Village ā a bypass to get around Route 47 construction.
Along the way, on a small pond visible from the street, I saw two white swans swimming on the water. Dazzled by their beauty, I soon looked forward to seeing them every time I took this route.
As fall approached, I wondered how they would survive the winter. Can they fly? Do they migrate to southern locations? The Internet supplied answers. Yes, they can fly and do migrate. This was somewhat surprising to me given their size and weight.
As late fall approached, I watched daily, and then one, day they were gone. I felt saddened and thought of Tony Soprano and his preoccupation with his ducks. Like Tony, could the swans have some underlying mystical hold on me? I had all winter to mull this over, and as spring approached, I wondered if the swans would return to the same little pond they left several months before.
I started watching in early April and, for several weeks, saw no sign of them. By early May I had pretty much given up. But then one day, there they were, the pair of white swans. How happy I was!
I continued to enjoy viewing them through the summer of 2012. Route 47 construction was now behind us, but I still found time to regularly drive by the pond to check on my two friends. I was again saddened when they left in the fall, but this time was more confident they would return the next spring.
Again impatient, I started checking in early April, and they returned in mid-May. This summer, however, has been different. After returning there were days when neither swan could be seen. Then a day came when only one was visible, followed by days when both could be seen. My first thought was that the female was having babies and maybe I would see little swans swimming with proud parents. The thought excited me, but it did not happen. I could make no sense of these changes from prior summers.
This year as fall approached I got to wondering just how many more years would the pair be able to complete their annual travel cycle? How long do swans live? What happens when one dies? Does the survivor continue to make the trips alone?
All of this got me to thinking about my longevity. How many more years will I be around to view these beautiful creatures? Not really surprising this question comes up at age 75.
I have no answers to any of these questions – questions about the swans or about me, and itās probably much better that way. Far better to just appreciate the present and not worry about how much time is left to enjoy.
The pair will soon be leaving, and again I will miss my two friends. I can only hope that all three of us will be around to reunite next May. That āhopeā is good enough for me.
Jim Davis
Sun City resident
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Breast Cancer Support Hour
The 2013 āYou’re Not Aloneā 5K Cancer Walk held on Sept. 28 was a success thanks to all of the participants and sponsors who supported our annual fundraiser. A huge thank-you goes out to our co-host SCCAH Lifestyles and to all our BCSH members who worked so hard to make this special event possible.
The next meeting of the Breast Cancer Support Hour will be our Anniversary Luncheon at noon Wednesday, Nov. 6 at Biaggiās in Algonquin Commons. We will be able to order off the menu and separate checks will be given. Please call Audrey for more information.
We welcome any breast cancer survivors living in Sun City Huntley to come and chat in this non-clinical supportive atmosphere. For further information on this group, please call Audrey Munger at 847-669-3598 or Pat Oakley at 847-669-6090.
Andrea Berebitsky
Breast Cancer Support Hour
