If a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, how much is a bird in the house worth?
Maybe an analysis of the life you have chosen.
I came home several weeks ago to a morning dove perched on my floor lamp.
She flew around the ceiling a bit, then landed again.
I opened the window wide in case she wanted to get out. She didn't seem in a hurry. She nestled down in the fixture of the overhead light.
And since I'd had a long day, and she seemed fine, I took a nap in the bed underneath.
When I woke up she had moved to the corner where I have a branch positioned to hold the vine of a Pothos plant.
She looked like she belonged...and it was chilly outside, so I left her alone.
Finally, after a couple hours, she flew out the window. Which I promptly shut because it was now freezing in my home.
Over the following weeks, the mourning dove would peak through the closed glass window. Nestle in the empty flower pots outside the window and eat our bird feed.
I was torn about what to do for her. Sure I put out food and water for her, but should I also buy her a bird house? Or, did she want to come back inside and live in our home?
It was a bit tormenting, because I believe that birds should be free to fly. That short lives in freedom are better than long lives in captivity.
But I could also see with her constant peaking in the window that maybe she would prefer a long life in warmth complete with food and water.
The mourning dove hasn't been around for a week. Maybe she found a warmer place to live or someone took her in...or maybe she found a partner and flew South.
Wherever she is...I send her my best.
And I wonder if given a choice of being out in the freezing cold where food and water are hard to find, what would I do? Would I give up my freedom? Would I start going along with what other people have to say just to make sure I got a meal?
It's easy to judge others when our bellies are full, our houses are warm, we have running water...but maybe the people we find in the streets and the shelters, just lost their way. Like the mourning dove, maybe they don't have anyone to count on when the chips are down.
I'm lucky, I have a big family. So whenever I start to worry about what would happen to me should I lose my job, my home, my savings, all things that have happened to many people in the last years...I take solace in knowing that my sister Jennifer will take me in. Oh sure, other friends and family would take me in...but my sister Jennifer would be happy about it. : ) And I do love her for the peace of mind she has given me.
That is what I wish for all living things. Peace of mind...to know that if everything goes wrong there is at least one place you can go where they will be happy to take you in.
Who would be happy to take you in?
Who would you be happy to take in?
