“The gesture of the figure and the bird communicates forward movement... being uplifted, moving onward; a release of hopes, dreams and spirit; of new beginnings and of endings; in celebration of a life... or in anticipation of a life together. This piece could be a way to express best wishes to someone who is taking a new path in life; on a road to recovery from illness or toward self-improvement... A hopeful symbol of peace for military families awaiting the return of their solders... An expression of sympathy to someone who has lost a loved one. The sentiment refers to the song Turn, Turn, Turn, written by Pete Seeger in 1959, adapted from the Book of Ecclesiastes. In the song, there’s a contrast in each example...‘A time to be born/die, plant/reap, laugh/weep’ and so on. I like the lyrical, repetitive nature of the phrasing. At significant milestones, we often pause and reflect before moving forward, so ‘a time to reflect, a time to soar’ seemed like a nice expression for this piece. —Susan Lordi