Are we trapped birds?

Are we Trapped birds? Marilda Wiegand

 The other day I noticed a tiny little Long Billed Crombec bird that was sitting in the top of the rafters of the thatch of the roof.

The room is large and open with doors on 2 sides that slide open completely.

And yet this little bird was stuck in the top of the roof.

My beloved husband is incapable of having windows closed and everything is always standing open “to let the fresh air in”.  Since we live in the African Bushveld right next to Kruger National Park, this means that all sorts of critters parade into our house on a regular basis.

And inevitable birds get in as well.  The situation with the little crombec reminded me of how some of the other birds react. Often the Crested Franklins walk in the one door and while they have a cautious eye out will casually walk right out the other side. Even the hornbills might hop onto the windowsill to come and check out if there is anything interesting happening inside.  There is a pretty Mocking Cliff chat that, every now and then, wanders in as if he owns the place and literally walks from room to room to see what he’s been missing.  He is quite a character as he gets quite irate if, on the odd occasion, “his” window is closed.

And every now and again a bird will fly in like this little crombec and will exhaust himself while frantically trying to get out.

I watched this poor little guy panic and it was hard, as there was no way I could get to him.  I, quietly, sat watching him while hoping that he would see the bigger picture.

It nearly broke my heart to watch as instinct drove him up further into the rafters where there is no way out, while the massive open windows are only a short distance from where he is trying to get out.

It made me wonder if this isn’t the kind of situation that we find ourselves in.  Are we in such a panic about what is happening in our lives right now that we are missing the opportunities? That we cannot see the big open windows that are letting the fresh air in because our instincts are to go “up”?

Is it not now, more than ever, the time to look at the bigger picture? To not only look for an open window but to get clarity of where we find ourselves within this bigger picture?

Maybe the way isn’t up at all but rather sideways or even down?

Eventually the Crombec managed to get himself out and I wonder if he went home to tell of his near death experience… will he remember for next time and know better?