Namaste Frenz! अप्रणोद्योऽतिथिः सायं सूर्योढो गृहमेधिना | काले प्राप्तस्त्वकाले वा नास्यानश्नन् गृहे वसेत् || - मनु स्मृति "When a guest arrives in the evening, one must insist they spend the night in their house. When a guest arrives during lunch (dinner) time or any odd time, he must be served food..." A pigeon landed on my balcony Air conditioner. This is not an unusual occurrence by itself except this particular bird walked up to the glass door and began pecking as if it wanted to come in. I tend to be hospitable, there are guests in the house more often than not, but the thought of turning the living room into an aviary did not appeal to me so I ignored the petitions. Instead, I tried to focus my attention back to the book I was reading. The distraction, however, was too much. I sighed. The visitor paused beseeching me to action. My eyes darted about before returning. I had to look twice as it seemed to stretch its beak into a frustrated grimace. Lesson one: Do not be blinded so much by your own needs that you fail to recognize others have needs as well. In my mind I began to ponder what possible things a pigeon could want me to do. I don’t consider myself completely without skills but would my abilities be relevant in the bird world? My strengths include things like internet research, reading, leadership, and project management. These might come in handy if the pigeon wanted me to Google directions to the nearest bird sanctuary. Or possibly develop a Gantt chart for the process of constructing a deluxe nest complex complete with bird bath and feeder. The thought of being under qualified to help this lesser creature was distressing, to say the least. I stood, “Go away,” I shooed my hand. “The closest I’ve been to a bird is a game of badminton. I can’t help you.” It began pacing back and forth, bobbing its head up and down while staring at me. Could it be true I would be a complete failure in its fowl world? I’d always been taught we each have a purpose and can contribute as long as we focus on those things in which we are gifted. Maybe I was being too hasty in my rejection. Lesson two: We each hold gifts that can be used to make a difference even if they don’t seem immediately apparent or the situation is unusual. The pigeon hopped, scratching hurried feet against the screen. “Ok, ok,” I said, moving forward. “I think I can probably figure out some way to help you.” My new friend was only a few short steps away across the carpeted floor. I strode with purpose and new confidence, reaching for the latch. The bird turned its head from side to side, clearly becoming nervous. As my fingers grasped the metal handle and tugged a sleek black form darted across the deck from behind the marigolds, claws bared and feline eyes narrowed. “Wait!” I shouted as an eagle leapt. I was too late. Purple and grey wings beat against the air, lifting the pigeon up just beyond snapping jaws. As it took flight I noticed it stared at me with puzzled eyes, likely wondering why I had waited so long. Lesson three: We will be given opportunities to use our gifts but the world moves on whether or not we respond. Your action might be the one thing keeping someone from becoming the snack of the world’s metaphorical kitty. We have each been given gifts. How we solve problems, relate to others, and see the world is driven by this unique combination of strengths and abilities. Opportunities will present themselves but first you must learn these three lessons from a pigeon. Learn to share yourself with others. When you share your gifts with others, when you give back to this world, you learn about yourself. No one is an island unto oneself; we are part of a give-and-take of universal energy flowing through all of us. Blocking this energy inside us causes stress; letting it flow more freely alleviates stress. So next time you are unhappy, remind yourself that you and you alone can make yourself happy.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Jul 2013 12:02:23 +0000
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