Monthly Archives: January 2024

Bird TV

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I live on the third floor and have a wonderful view of trees and buildings and cars and sun. There are tons of birds around, sparrows, starlings, pigeons, crows, geese and an occasional seagull. Seagulls don’t come around much because they are scavengers and head toward the garbage heaps about four miles from here.

Geese and crows eat worms and bugs and don’t like bread too much.

Pigeons are fat and lazy and keep themselves at train stations and odd cement squares that separate forks in the road.

So we are left with sparrows and starlings mostly. There are so many in the winter and less in the spring because in the spring there are loads of tasty bugs to be had.

It is now winter and these little fat birds are hanging around in abundance on the wires and posts and roof tops outside my window.

I get around to feeding these marvels at seven in the morning. At least fifty birds are waiting and another twenty five stop by after the initial feeding frenzy for crumbs on the sidewalk and whole pieces on the windowsill.

Out the window I throw at least eight cut up slices of bread every day in winter for my birdy friends, then I shut the window tightly. Bird TV has begun. My two kitties’ arrange themselves like statues in front of the window and I sipping tea sit at my table and watch the show.

Bobbing and weaving and fighting and cooperating birds muscling around for their fair share of free bread. The kitties try and pounce at the chubby and plump starlings. After realizing they can’t get through the window they sit and watch.

This is our everyday morning routine. Me and my two cats and a show of feathers, wings, little legs and beaks. Brown and black and gold and yellow colors.  Chirping voices remind me of the freedom to fly, the hardships overcome and willingness to be brave.

For as long as I live here, I will feed my bird friends every day and enjoy their entertainment. Tweet, tweet, chirp, chirp.

Usefulness

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                    Usefulness  

When I reincarnate I would like to be a cow for a while. A mild cow feeding people and kittens, happily grazing in a lush green meadow until my usefulness ends.

Then I would reincarnate as a teacher of worldly skills. Teaching how to be a good citizen, honesty, integrity, responsibility, respectfulness, self-control until my usefulness ends.

Then I would stay a ghost for a while to elevate souls that are stuck in self-loathing languishing in between man’s energy and heaven. Eons will go by until my usefulness ends.

Then I will arrive on a flesh and blood, mortal world as a human on a new planet to explore. I will not remember my last human life and that is very good. In my blood I will know my ancestors and have their resource to accompany me on journey to my full potential until my usefulness ends.

Again and again, I will endlessly live where I am welcome until my usefulness ends. 

Music and Love

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                              Music and Love

In the cacophony of the city existed an unpredicted tune that will bring two strangers together.

In his daily mundane routine Oliver became aware of smooth background jazz of Dave Brubeck. Brubeck’s “Take Five” was sweeping and dancing through the air.

It was raining as he stopped at the coffee shop. This was part of his usual routine and habit. He sat at a table looking around lost in thought.

The barista changed the entire energy of the coffee shop by playing “Moonlight Sonata” by Beethoven. Oliver didn’t mind, he was winding down after a long day. The music unexpectedly resonated deep within.

As he was glancing around, he noticed an attractive young lady. Becca was engrossed in reading at the corner table not noticing Oliver. To Oliver she was familiar. He felt connected to her as if the music had invisible strings connecting them.

Each note became a love language, evoking vulnerability, a spell cast, and wordless words not yet spoken.

At the last chord Oliver found the courage to approach Becca. In this small coffee shop under awkward hellos, raindrops, cascading music, enchantment and mystery begins a serendipitous new love story for two solitary souls.

Leather Shoes

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I saw a young man about thirty years old with fancy expensive leather shoes with heels. About one and a half inches at least. He glided across the street, purposeful. There was a slight rustling of wind in his black hair. He looked an ambitious sort.

Charming looking and handsome. Was he off to an important meeting? Did he insist on being traditional rather than an ordinary man wearing sneakers?

I looked around to see if anyone else had fancy leather shoes with heels. No one. Most people wear sneakers these days for comfort and sneakers are inexpensive compared to fancy leather shoes with heels.

Wonder what he did for a living. What was his personality? Are people who wear fancy leather shoes with heels different from those who wear sneakers?

I will never know his story. But in the brief look I had of the man with the fancy leather shoes with heels is a reminder that we can be inspired to wonder about the story behind the choices people make.

Old Friend

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I have one friend from childhood. We met when I was 15 and he was 17. We used to play guitar and piano together. His family was wonderful. His voice was like velvet. We had tons of fun, and we were a couple for two years. He went his way, and I went mine.

We reconnected a few years later and the same thing happened.

It’s really strange because for the following years we ran into each other often. We could not get away from each other. We couldn’t be a couple for unknown reasons. But we always kept in touch with each other.

When his Mom passed away, we reminisced about how we all used to sing together. I said my goodbyes to this wonderful lady who really welcomed me.

Every year at Christmas we exchange Christmas cards and each year my dear friend would burn a CD for me of old movies and jazz music and other subjects we were always interested in. One year he sent me an old VCR tape of us at his house on Christmas with our families. I cried when I saw this. We were so happy.

This year I got my Christmas card with a CD and the only words on the card were “It’s been a rough year.”

I do keep in touch with his sister too and she said that my friend is suffering with back problems, blood problems and some other dangerous stuff. My friend does not want to need my help because he has a support system.

We don’t run into each other anymore. We have chosen to remember all the good times, the conversations, the connection we had in these past five decades.

I guess that is how it is when you finally get old enough to realize how much you really loved each other and how it is too late to have a life together.

I will always remember my dear friend and if we are lucky perhaps, we will meet in the afterlife.