Death of a Bird

Today Rich walked into the house from the pool and said he was sad. I didn't think I heard him correctly so I asked him to repeat himself. He said "I am sad today." I wasn't sure why - I mean I had yet to make him made today, so what was there to be sad about. "What's wrong honey" I asked him. He replied "I found one of the birds I like dead in our yard."

We have these ugly, penguin, flying looking birds that hang in our neighbors tree just above our pool. There are a few of them that hang out there and they are the weirdest looking birds I have ever seen. Picture a hairy slim penguin with a big awkward beak and you pretty much have a picture of that bird in your head.

We noticed them last year, nesting in the neighbors tree and Rich has been talking to them and pointing them out to all of our guests ever since. This morning one was dead in our yard and he had to dispose of the body. The good news is he didn't feel the need to hold a funeral for it, so at least the deed was done quickly and without fan fare. I have a huge to do list today and ATTEND UGLY BIRD FUNERAL is not on it. Though he is still sad, and I get it, those ugly things were growing on us.

Anytime something changes for people (death of a loved one, job change, a move to a different state) it can be hard for us. I think by nature we are creatures of habit (just like those birds nesting each year in the tree above our pool). Even people who like constant motion and variety still understand that there is comfort in consistency. That is why it is so hard for many of us to fully grasp when something changes and we had virtually no control over whether it happened or not.

I think the best we can do is pick ourselves up and learn to grow into the change. Look for opportunity in the new versus mourning the old. It is only then that we can truly live the life we have today. For yesterday is already gone and tomorrow is not promised. All we can do today is say bye bye birdie and hope that he had a great life while here. I know that is what I plan to say as I eulogize that bird this evening.