Every afternoon that I am at the ranch, the dogs and I take a walk before sunset. It is a special time to explore and observe nature. One afternoon, after we had experienced sleet and a dusting of snow, I spotted a lovely gray-and-white dove feather lying gracefully upon the snow. I picked it up, put it in my pocket, and knew that I had a place for it. I always pick up feathers to put in one of my hats.
When I was a child, and I had accomplished something, my mother would say, “That is another feather in your cap!” This phrase has been a part of my vocabulary for many years, but curiosity took hold, and I looked up the origin of this saying.
Going far back in history, Native American and European cultures shared the tradition of adding a feather to a warrior’s or hunter’s cap for each victory or achievement. The feather marks a big win or heroic act. We have seen the beautiful headdresses of Native Americans decorated with feathers. Even Robin Hood, a legendary character, wore a feather in his cap to designate his prowess as a hunter and marksman.
The feather-in-the-cap idea is also part of the Yankee Doodle Dandy rhyme, where he ‘sticks a feather in his cap and calls it macaroni.’ Not sure about the macaroni, but one explanation is that in 1700s British English slang, a doodle was a fool. Calling a person a Yankee Doodle was calling them an American fool, which makes sense, as the song was sung by British soldiers in the American War of Independence.
Regardless of the many uses of this phrase, we still use the idiom to describe a new, noteworthy or proud accomplishment. Recently, we celebrated our graduates of the Texas Trailblazers: Gay Gaddis Leadership Program by ceremonially presenting them with branded jackets—modern-day feathers in their caps and visible reminders of their achievement in completing the 14-week course. It was a meaningful moment, and one that filled me with pride.
The next time you reach a milestone, including winning an award, a promotion or completing a major project, you can consider that you have added another feather to your cap. Traditions like this should not be lost. It is important for us to stop and celebrate our success when it happens.
Whether or not you actually put a feather in your cap, thank yourself for a job well done. We need to be grateful and appreciate our hard work. A pat on the back is a good thing. Another idiom for praise!
Good job, friends!
Gay Gaddis
Founder. Author. Artist. Trailblazer.
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