A bird in the hand…

[This is a thought]

"You're no more than a thought…"-old 97's

Back in the old days of California (Left Coast!!!) The Catholics in order to help the settlers built 21 fort like church complexes or "Missions" to supply or protect the hopefull within its walls. Spread from southern to northern California are these 21 works of art. Designed to offer shelter from the elements and hostiles, the Missions and the clergy within helped the state become populated. All 21 of them were placed a days travel apart to act as way stations. To this day the Missions still stand however I have heard tell that they are no longer open to the public.

When I was a child my Mother would take my older sister and me to the Mission San Louis Rey to play in the gardens and parks around the place to play. Like all of Socal, there was plenty of pigeons to go around. Linda and I would chase them because my Mother had promised to let us keep one if we could catch it.

Children are fascinated by birds. If I had caught one I would have stared at it for hours in wonder. Where has it been? What has it seen? Where will it go? And how does the damn thing fly?!

I imagine, although I have never asked, that that's why people keep birds as pets. You can buy all types of exotic birds. Brightly colored birds with beautifull patterns, birds of prey, delicate birds even birds that will sing you a song. I would own a bird myself except for the fact that I often wonder why would you cage a bird?

Maybe people buy birds in some kinda attempt to keep something that isn't theirs? I don't think its right to cage em cause some things were meant to be free. Its bad enough all the fairy tales died, why cage wonder.

Some things are just to pretty to keep. Its nice to have something in this drab world that sings in melody and color. Sometimes I see pretty things and I just stop and look, be it a my son, a bird, a flower, a family, the scenery or just a pretty girl in yoga pants. I stare in wonder at how could something be so beautifull. Then after several moments I'm glad I saw it and my day is just that much better. Beauty beheld, dang ole!

Sometimes I think the people in my life are the same way. I have met several beautifull, wonderfull people who are no longer in my life. I think of them and am a little sad that they are not here with me but at the same time glad that they did stop by for a while. They did color my life, and to be honest even though they are not here anymore, I am happy to have been blessed even for a little while. I used to meet such special, beautifull people and I'd desperatly reach out at them, like when I was a child chasing pigeons in the cool green grass lying in the shadow of the missions. Reaching and hoping to catch that beauty, to make it so I can keep it longer than a glimpse of time.

As the bird flys away all I can do is stand there and watch. I can either smile or frown as it gets smaller in the horizen. These days I let it go and wonder about who else will be touched by its beauty, who else can see it, who else will it share itself with?

Even now a bird is preparing to "fly the coop" so to speak. I am saddened but at the same time I'm glad that I did get to expirience that beauty. I will always remember my time with it.

The other day I was at a remote site waiting to go home (home is where you hang your weapon). It was a cold, cloudy, windy and drab ugly day topped off with a hint of saddness. I was leaning on a trailer staring at some trees and foilage when all of a sudden a bright red robin landed in the bushes. The contrast was immence. I stared for a while drinking in the red and the fact that it was a robin(not to many where I'm from). I got the idea to take a picture with my phone, as I reached down I took my eyes off the robin for a second and then it was gone.

People come and go I say a lot. My life is filled with the snippets of beautiful people. I wish to hell some would stay and help make my life complete.

Its like I'm not the one looking at the bird in the cage, I am the one in the birdcage.
-B

"I'm no more than a thought and I'm getting smaller in your rearview mirror…"