daydreamer's footnotes

While waiting at the bus stop in the crispy cold late afternoon in the early Spring, a pigeon is scavenging for twits next to the bare young tree where I stood.

The pigeon, meticulously picked out a stick of twit with it’s beck and flew to a balcony slightly diagonally above. It came back after a minute and scavenge for another perfect twit, flew back to the balcony and came back. It did that four times while I was there.

I watched it with great admiration, I can only imagine it is in the process of doing something of great importance in its own agenda, for living, for survival, and for love.

Pigeons, especially the city pigeons, as annoying as they may seem in our human habitat, have some very admirable qualities that really touched me deeply. Maybe I am admiring something that is missing in my life. By observing that raw act of love reassured me the emotions are out there.

Many years ago, one night in the winter of my second year of university, I was waiting for the last bus to come to get home. During the long wait of the bus, I spotted a lonely pigeon, sitting quietly by the bicycle parking station next to the bus terminal, seemingly waiting for another bird of his kind. I assumed it was a he. In my mind, I secretly named him: Milos.

The next day, I once again left the university late and waiting for the last bus home. I saw Milos again at exactly the same spot, sitting there. There were no other pigeons around at night – except for him. He must have made a promise to his mate that he would be here, waiting. Couple of days later, at the same bus terminal at night, I saw Milos again. This time, he was cuddling with another pigeon. That must be the partner he was waiting for the entire week. I saw in his posture that something felt lighter in him compare to the tense, statue-like posture that I saw for a few days earlier. How great it was to witness how love free up the tensions in the muscles, the nervous systems, and the self, to allow love embracing the partner, to be loved and giving love in return.

The next day, it was my last late night of the semester. That night, Milos and his partner were gone. I bet they found a place nearby to build their nest in preparation for the Spring to come. I was glad to have met Milos. His quiet strength and patience was truly inspiring. I have not seen another pigeon late at night again at the bus terminal.

And then, Spring came. Many pigeons gathered around the bus terminal making a living during the day and all gone home at night.