Three weeks ago I wrote about the Northern Mockingbird. I called it the “Thank you bird” because the one that lives near me has, as part of his vast repertoire, a song that sounds just like, “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” What I didn’t expect was that I would go on to hear this bird and this song every day since without fail. Sometimes three and four times a day.

I know it might sound crazy, but it’s true: it is the same bird. Mockingbirds are very territorial and they will drive any rivals away from their area. So this guy flies around my neighborhood, alights on a rooftop or a tall tree and sings his heart out, morning, noon and night, and somewhere in his repertoire of over 200 songs will come the “Thank you song.” I have heard him at two in the morning and at six in the morning. I don’t know if he ever sleeps. I just know it’s the “Thank you bird” because he keeps singing the same song.

And here’s why I hear him every day. Since I wrote about this, I must have subconsciously trained my brain to hear this particular song, because I can be doing virtually anything — I can be inside or outside the house — and suddenly become aware that I am hearing the mockingbird, and lo and behold, he is singing the “Thank you song.” I kid you not. My mind recognizes the song and makes me aware of it.

Do you think maybe God is trying to tell me something here? Duh. I know with my attitude of scarcity, gratitude doesn’t come easy. So when I hear the song, I have to stop and be thankful. You can always find something to be thankful for. I can’t just ignore it; it’s too much of a clear signal.

And since this bird is always busting in on my world going, “Thank you, thank you, thank you … Are you being thankful?” I thought I would bust in on yours and do the same. Besides, I need to make some sense out of this before it drives me crazy. If the mockingbird got my attention, I’ll get yours. Besides, how could being thankful ever be the wrong thing?