bird_message daxle Two days ago, I was watering in my backyard, and saw a red breasted bird sitting on the ground in my backyard. It occurred to me as unusual, since birds are usually in motion, and take off as soon as I open the back door. I observed it for a minute, wondered if it was hurt. Then, it took off, and I thought nothing more of it. The next day I went out to water again, and I saw the bird again. I slowly moved closer to the bird, and began to water. It looked at me quickly, but didn't move. I watered. It didn't move. I looked at it and again wondered if it was hurt. It seemed so calm, not distressed in any way. It occurred to me that the bird had a message for me. Another voice in my head started to say something about how that was ridiculous, but I quieted it. I figured it couldn't hurt to stop and listen. I listened, and I felt a deep upwelling of sadness. The message was compassion. To have compassion for someone who recently hurt me. To acknowledge that she must have been coming from a place of suffering to do what she did. I cried for a moment. Then I feared I was nuts, again. The bird clearly had not actually *said* anything. Yet, I got a message. It didn't really matter where it came from. Maybe the bird just got me to stop and realize, coincidentally. I don't know. But it was a timely message that I needed to hear. 120626 ... n o m . 120626 ... REAListic optimIST On my way home from S's house, I received a text from A. In it, she said that I am a liar and a betrayer. My first reaction was out of fear, and I was sent into an emotional spiral. "Happy Monday!" said a woman stepping from her front door, tossing bread pieces into her lawn. "Who are you feeding?" I asked. "Merlin." "Is Merlin a crow?" "Yes. I nursed him to health over 8 weeks. As you can see by my window, he comes to visit me quite a bit. I would clean all the poop off the sill, but it's so beautiful." "What's your name?" I asked. She told me, and as we parted ways, she reminded me to spread love. I said "you, too! Oh wait, you already are." My entire mindset was shifted and I had so much gratitude for that woman and her bird. I was ready to listen to whatever A had to say, and to hear her out without being defensive. I knew she was speaking from a place of pain, and that what she really needed was to feel heard and loved. 120626 ... Lemon_Soda Awesome. 120627 ... oren Agreed. 120627 ... REAListic optimIST My bird message was received on 120625. 120627 ... unhinged i was walking down fourth avenue after my piano time at the library eating the rest of my bahn mi. i mistakenly asked the girl to toast it so the baguette was too hard. i wanted to stop in the bank and saw one of those strangely brown and white mottled seattle pigeons which i usually fight the urge to kick but for some reason i decided to share the heel of the baguette. i tore off a chunk and the pigeon pecked a few crumbs out of it before a damn crow swooped down out of the tree and stole it. i tried again, tearing smaller pieces, with the same result. the sound of flapping wings, the stare of a beady black eye, disappearing back to the cover of the tree. stupid pigeons 120628 ... birdmad I_got_a_cat_named_spooky she doesn't let those birds over there parking to close to the window No_new_messages 160503 what's it to you? who go blather from