Something caught my eye. Almost looked like a soft gray caterpillar. Curious, I leave my bench and go investigate. Not happy with what I find. Turns out to be a feather among other feathers. It wasn't identifiable right away, at least not until I found the small black, almost round one. This was the remains of a mourning dove. What happened to it, I will never know. But as I look around the quiet place, I realize that the feathers are wide spread. Maybe the wind just blew them around. I find no hint of any other remains, just feathers.
This discovery was made a few days ago. By now the feathers have, for the most part, blown away. But one thing remains behind. One very lonely mourning dove high on a telephone wire. She has been there every day that I've gone. There have been other birds. They love the quiet place as much as I do. However today, it's cold, and a bit rainy. She is the only bird I see. All alone in the same place. Waiting for one who will never return.
It forced me to come back a do a search on these little creatures. Do they mate for life? Will she stay there until she falls off from weakness due to lack of food? I'm so caught up in her plight that I couldn't give my quiet time its full attention. But maybe she is part of my quiet time. I have a thought (or a whisper from God?), "Don't wait around until you die".
As it turns out, mourning doves are quite loyal to their mates, but if forced to, they will not stay alone. This makes me feel better for the one high on the wire. Yet it is no guarantee. When I go back, she may not be there, and I will never know her plight. Did she fall off and die, or did she give up and move on?
No comments:
Post a Comment