In Chinese lore, the heron is often regarded as a harbinger of goodness and a sign of a path forward. Its name, 鹭 (“lou”), is homophonous with a word that means “road” or “way.” Some even believed it to be that rare creature capable of flying between earth and heaven, escorting the souls of the departed to the afterlife. As I watched the heron, the thing that I admired most was its apparent ease. It seemed unfettered. It appeared to be free.
