It is unavoidable that individuals live independently, even though we join in some groups and make ourselves belong to part of population. There is nobody we could find in our lifetime accompanied with us from birth to death. That sounds negative. Does it mean that connection with others is unnecessary, as segregation is inevitable? According to a close reading of Doyle’s Joyas Volardores, the answer is NO. Under such circumstance, people should not block out their hearts, or refuse the kindness and the happiness from the outside; instead, we should expose our mind to the world.

Brian Doyle starts the lyric essay with Joyas Volardores, a type of hummingbirds, which is praised as “flying jewels” (94). Such lovely creatures, however, are miserable when their lives are ending. Doyle suggests that loneliness could have a negative consequence on individuals more than death. As it is depicted, “on frigid nights, or when [hummingbirds] are starving, they retreat into torpor” (95). By using the words “frigid”, “starving”, and “torpor”, Doyle is expressing that dying hummingbirds suffer torment. Not only does the pain on their bodies hurt and kill them, but also there is a sense of loneliness filling their minds. While the pain on the body is short-lived and it could be cured though surgery and medicine, the hurt in mind cannot be forgotten in short time. Under such circumstance, the readers are to be convinced that loneliness is much more profound than death itself. To make readers more impressed, Doyle further describes the details, “Their metabolic rate slowing to a fifteenth of their normal sleep rate, their hearts sludging nearly to a halt, barely beating, and if they are not soon warmed, if they do not soon find that which is sweet, their hearts grow cold and they cease to be” (95). When reading the text, we may feel that our breath is held, and a mood of sadness is flowing in our heart, as if we were the ones who experience it. The hummingbirds are suffering being lonely and desperate, with no one ever knowing them.

In the following paragraphs, Doyle also discusses other animals and their hearts. Each heart represents an independent life in the nature, no matter huge or tiny, heavy or light. Life is like a trip. We might meet amounts of people during the trip, but we cannot ever look forward to a fellow traveller forever by our sides. However, the happiness within your trip could forever be preserved and support you in the following days. In the last paragraph, Doyle expresses sadly, “we open windows to each but live alone in the house of the heart” (96). And he insists that to believe a person who will sustain us forever could be a dream of child (96). It impresses the readers that we may never believe in someone except ourselves. During our childhood, we are in a strong belief that our parents could always support us in the back. However, as we grow up, we increasingly find that our parents are getting older and giving weaker support to us, even one day no support any more. It upsets us that we do not know how to move on without our parents’ accompany. Doyle points out explicitly, “we could bear to be so naked, for fear of a constantly harrowed heart” (96). And then Doyle uses the words “bruised”, “scarred”, “scored” and “torn” to express that a young man must suffer to achieve self break-through. Some may experience loneliness and brick themselves up during the process, but some will get mature and get support from themselves, from the memory deeply in their brains. As Doyle mentions at the end of the essay, “the memory of your father’s voice early in the morning echoing from the kitchen where he is making pancakes for his children” could instantly break the “wall” down, no matter how hard it is (96). It is those pieces of memory that help individuals get rid of loneliness and encourage them to a wider world. Here I would like to share an individual experience.

Actually there is a most precious memory of my family in my mind. During my childhood, almost every night I came back home after school, there was a hot dinner on the table with my parents waiting for me. We enjoyed meal together and shared some interesting experience in the daytime. This piece of memory gives me solid support, even though I am now studying abroad away from my families. No matter where I am, the memory will always remind me the happiness in my childhood and love from my parents will forever accompany me and support me.

In the last paragraph, Doyle makes his inclination more explicitly that there are myriads of moments of kindness and warmth in our daily live that make us surrounded rather than existing in loneliness. As Doyle mentions, it could be “a woman’s second glance”, “a child’s apple breath”, and “ the brush of your mother’s papery ancient hand in the thicket of your hair ” (96). We can always keep these valuable memories of happiness in our mind and they are the source of power that supports us when we face the setbacks one day in the future. No matter how stout and tight and hard and cold and impregnable you build your heart, it is much easier to break it down. It is because we are part of the world, and we are in relationship with some people by our side. They are our families, friends, and even some strangers who convert their friendliness to us. We receive hospitality from them and react positively to them as a return, during which we build strong connection with others. Communication is a basic skill we are born to own that makes us away from loneliness. Everyone comes to the world alone, except twins, but each of us is looking for our partners during the lifetime and has a graceful wish that we could accompany each other to enjoy the rest of life. It is the nature of humanity, instead of loneliness.

Indeed, it is undeniable that individuals cannot get someone’s support all the time, but it doesn’t mean that we should give in to such loneliness. It is a negative lifestyle. What we should do is to enrich ourselves and strengthen ourselves when we are alone, and accept people’s hospitality and friendship with an open mind when we receive it. In that way, we are independent inside, but not to wear a cold outfit to pretend that we are lonely and eccentric.