In the last few days we’ve seen so many robins in our backyard that I actually looked up this red breasted bird’s symbolism.

In homeopathy they speak of a healing crisis when symptoms briefly intensify before abating and disappearing. I have been pondering if this worldwide crisis, a health pandemic with ensuing economic collapse we are all trudging through so painfully, is triggering a cultural healing crisis of sorts?

Several symptoms of our cultural dysfunction have indeed intensified during this crisis, all of a socio-economic nature (see silver lining #5) because they are a result of our form of extreme capitalism, which is exploitative in nature, of people and of the environment. At the same time, we have watched as nature has caught its breath and showed us how fast it can heal if extreme human activity is curtailed (see silver lining #2).

Are we now able to see the connection between environmental deterioration and extreme capitalism? Are we now able to see the connection between a comprehensive social safety net and a robust economy?

Lo and behold, the symbolism of the robin is “stimulation of new growth, renewal and hope.”