Why the Hummingbird?

My love of hummingbirds began with my Nana, Shirley Marie. Whenever I saw one, I thought of her: her beauty, her grace, and her quiet strength. I started giving her hummingbird gifts, and I kept doing so through her years with cancer. She took her journey in 1996.

Twenty years later, in 2016, my niece Ashlynn Marie took her journey too. Soon after, hummingbirds began appearing all over her parents' property, and then wherever I happened to be. I took it as a sign that she was visiting, safe and sound with my Nana.

Across many cultures and generations, hummingbirds have carried deep meaning. In many Indigenous traditions of the Americas, they are seen as messengers between worlds and symbols of joy, healing, and renewal. The Aztecs honored them as symbols of courage and strength, believing fallen warriors returned as hummingbirds. And many people who are grieving share the same quiet belief I hold: that a hummingbird's visit can be a sign from someone we love.

Hummingbirds are also small wonders of strength. Their hearts can beat more than 1,200 times a minute. They can hover in place, and they're the only birds that can fly backward. Each fall, the tiny ruby-throated hummingbirds we see here in South Carolina make an extraordinary journey, many flying nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico.

To me, the hummingbird reflects the heart of this work. It reminds us to be fully present, to find sweetness even in hard seasons, and that even the smallest among us can make a remarkable journey. It is gentle and strong at the same time, and it moves between worlds with grace.

A Hummingbird's Journey is my way of honoring Nana, Ashlynn, and every journey I'm privileged to walk alongside. I'm here to offer a steady, gentle presence, however your journey unfolds.Big Ideas,
Real Impact.