“The egg has hatched!!” I was
accosted at the door by my excited ten year old when I returned from work, her
eyes sparkling with delight as she dragged me to the balcony to take a look at
the object of her irrepressible wonder. And I must admit, I was quite
unprepared for the emotions that the sight was to evoke in my heart. For there
lay a fluffy little ball of flesh, unimaginably tiny and so very fragile,
nurtured by its protective mother as she gazed warily at us from her nest.
Although her gaze was cautious and guarded, I thought I perceived in it, an
undeniable element of trust – as if to say – you’re a mother too so I know you
mean no harm. That instant bonded me to her forever.
It had all begun a few weeks
earlier with a couple of pigeons collecting twigs and other paraphernalia
everyday and placing it in a corner of our balcony, hoping to have enough to
be able to build a nest soon. But no sooner did they store a few twigs than the
cleaning lady (on our instruction of course) threw them away. Blame it on the
indifference and insensitivity that has become part and parcel of our adult
lives that had gripped me in its vice as well. A bird’s nest in the balcony
would mean nuisance, unnecessary bother, not to mention a whole lot of mess to
clean up. Even the imploring glance of my little one did not succeed in
softening my stance.
Much to our surprise, one day we
found an egg on the bare floor of the balcony – the pigeons had not been able
to build their nest “thanks” to our regular “cleaning” but unable to disrupt
nature’s plans – the egg had been laid by the mother. The sight of that little
cradle of life on the cold hard floor unleashed a wave of guilt and remorse, and
the magnitude of my thoughtlessness hit me like a thunderbolt. Aren’t we all in
pursuit of a safe haven that we can call home – a place where we can nurture
and nourish our young ones and shield them from every danger? Why then was I
denying these birds the right to build their home? Couldn’t I even spare a
small corner of my balcony, when providence has blessed me with abundant
generosity?
The decision was made at that
very moment and the girls were beside themselves with joy to see the change of
heart. The contrast struck me for the umpteenth time – the difference in the
way adults and children perceive situations. Children are simple and naïve –
they act according to the dictates of their innocent hearts while as adults we use
complicated logic to justify our actions, often driven by petty motives. For my
part, I was grateful to the powers that be to have made me seen better sense
before it was too late – before the same insensitivity surreptitiously sneaked
into the characters of my girls.
Then we witnessed the miracle of
life unfold before our very eyes – something that we so take for granted. We
watched first hand as the mother incubated her egg, sitting patiently, waiting
for the life within to stir. The girls would throw a handful of grains for the
mother everyday and even kept a little bowl of water for her to drink from. Then the
day arrived and the little fledgling broke its way through the egg and into the
world. The girls would give me a “report” of the daily progress – “it’s looking
bigger now”, or “today the mother pigeon fed her baby by putting tiny morsels
into its little mouth.”
The fledgling all but became a
member of our family as we marveled at its growth – the ball of fluff got
bigger and bigger and in just a few days assumed adult proportions. But it still
had not taken to the skies – it would just wobble around the balcony and pick
up the grains thrown for it. The mother was not by its side at all times now but
she always came to check on her offspring every few hours. However when the big
moment arrived, unfortunately neither of us was around to witness it. The
circle of life was completed - the baby bird had finally spread its wings and
reached for the sky. It had achieved what nature had meant it to do. That
evening I returned home to mixed emotions – elation that “our” fledgling had
learnt to fly but sadness at the sight of the empty balcony.
Looking back at this entire
episode I marvel at the workings of nature and feel humbled by the power of
life – by its indomitable spirit to win against odds. But more than everything
else, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards the almighty for
eclipsing, even if it was for just a while, the streak of indifference that had
numbed my heart. The bird, her nest and her baby had created a memory that our
family would cherish for a lifetime. It was indeed a matter of privilege to
have been a part of the fascinating cycle of nature – to have been an
instrument, albeit an insignificant one, in helping a bird aspire for the skies
in its quest for freedom.
