This heron has been visiting my pond lately. The fish don’t like it; they hide. At least I hope they do. But the heron always returns. He comes by several times a week, flapping his huge wings before settling onto a rock. Serenely he waits (I always think of him as a male) for the opportunity to catch dinner.

Herons are smart that way. They’re persistent and patient, and they have a lot of fortitude. If the fishing isn’t good the first time, they’ll try again. And again. It’s a good lesson for me as I force myself to ignore the enticing call of the spring garden and settle instead at my desk, day after day, writing and rewriting. Surviving in this crazy business of publishing requires a lot of patience and persistence, along with some luck and timing too.

A friend of mine, Lea Tassie, wrote a short story a few years back featuring a heron. It’s called Fishing Expedition and it’s available as part of her short story collection Harvest. Here’s the link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/5284

I think of Lea’s story just about every time my heron comes to call.