Non-Judgment
Today—a wake of vultures.
I am in the process of recovering from surgery, dealing with the unique challenges of midlife womanhood. One of my biggest hurdles is the frustrating mismatch between my mental expectations and my physical reality. My mind is shouting, “Hey, let’s move, let’s go!” while my body counters with a sarcastic, “Aren’t you a funny one...” To find balance, my spirit convinced both sides to agree on a slow walk around the block with my husband. Armed with my camera, I set out, determined to find abundant beauty in the little things—the reflections in puddles, the curve of a leaf, the dance of a shadow. I wasn’t expecting to encounter a wake of turkey vultures dismantling a small corpse.
As Mike and I approached the scene, I let out a sigh of disgust. My husband raised an eyebrow and remarked that I had asked for wonder and had been gifted a brilliantly unexpected show. His comment stopped me in my tracks. I began to shift my perspective, getting curious about what I was seeing. My initial reaction—“gross”—was quickly replaced by questions. Was the scene truly disgusting, or could it be beautiful? Was this an act of destruction and death, or a story of connection and life? As the viewer, I realized I had the freedom to choose my narrative, but only through awareness and curiosity. By releasing judgment, I found myself open to the wonder before me—the beauty, the absurdity, and the complexity of the moment.
The vultures, I noticed, had social rules and distinct personalities. Their movements were both powerful and comical. They were gathered for a communal meal, ensuring nothing went to waste. As I observed and began to foster appreciation for their role, I heard a noise above me. Looking up, I was startled to find a massive turkey vulture perched in a branch just three feet above my head, staring down at me. He must have been there the entire time, perhaps as curious about me as I was about his brethren.
Let’s be real, vultures aren’t the most glamorous of birds. As I looked into his eyes, my first reaction wasn’t “Instagram is going to love you!” but it also wasn’ta reaction of fear or disgust. It was curiousity as if I was seeing one for the first time. That fresh glimpse made me realize that vultures are unapologetic. They clean up messes left by others and they are reminders of the circle of life and the fact that we are all connected to something much larger than ourselves.
I couldn’t capture the moment with my macro lens, but I understood it wasn’t meant to be photographed. It was meant to be experienced. Fully present, fully aware, and in a state of gratitude and nonjudgmental awe, I smiled at this curious creature and whispered a quiet thank-you—thank-you for making me aware of how quickly my mind labels something as good or bad, and how much I miss when I let that be the end of the story.
In that short walk, I realized how much judgment limits me. Judging a situation, story, person, or event often prevents me from seeing the gifts they offer. My recovery has forced me to slow down and examine my thoughts and patterns. It’s given me the space to honestly explore what it means to “be in the now.” Through presence and awareness, I’ve learned that I have a choice: to judge and react or to see the wisdom in the moment and respond with curiosity and appreciation. These scavengers reminded me that transformation often is preceded by chaos and maybe a sharp beak. Maybe the lessons we are here to learn aren’t always pretty, and maybe they are more beautiful than we could ever possibly fathom. Maybe it’s just life working itself out in ways we can’t possibly understand in the moment, either way, who am I to judge?
The next time my inner critic declares a situation good or bad, beautiful or gross, I hope I’ll remember these feathered friends. I hope I take a deep breath, pause, and look for the lessons in the ugly beautiful and life unfolding itself in miraculous ways. Here’s to finding beauty in the unexpected, wisdom in the messy, and maybe even inspiration in a wake of vultures.
Love Big. Laugh Loud. Hug Hard. Write On.
