Just a Seagull...

Genesis 2:19... Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air...

"What a beautiful bird!!"

I snapped out of my self-centered thoughts momentarily (I thought) to see the beautiful bird that Lauren was referring to. She was 4 1/2 and I'd noticed on many visits with her that she had that same joy for life that her father had as a little boy. Spending time with my grand-daughter was one of the joys of my life now.

It was a seagull. A bright white one but a seagull just the same.

"Oh honey, that's just a seagull," I said callously without thinking.

"It's beautiful," she repeated, matter-of-factish.

I looked again. Okay, it was "just a seagull". A screeching scavenger, living from snack to snack, shamelessly devouring the spoils of life, no pride, no thought for others. But, for the moment it was standing quietly, looking (well yes) beautiful in the eyes of my grand-daughter.

I considered for a moment, my hasty judgment. Just a seagull? Just a scavenger? Or just another one of God's amazing creations?

"Yes it is beautiful," I replied.