Baby and the Bird

Last night, Angelica and I had to make a quick trip to Target after work/daycare, mainly to pick up a new pair of shoes for her because the sandals she's been wearing would no longer stay on her feet.

So, we run into Target and to keep her busy, I stop at the food court in the front and buy a soft pretzel (plain and unsalted) and fruit punch for us to share (sugary, yes, but she only has it on occassion). We walk through the store, buy her new shoes, and a few other necessities, and leave.

In the parking lot, as I get her out of the shopping cart, she drops her last piece of pretzel in the parking lot next to the car. I push the shopping cart back into the corral (right next to my car) and as we're coming back to the car door, a black bird lands next to us and starts chirping at the pretzel piece.

This fascinated Angelica. She kept chirping back at the bird, and saying "Hi, hi, hi, hi, hi" over and over again to it. And the bird, mesmerized by the food, didn't fly away. So we stood there, in the parking lot, watching the bird (and making funny noises at it, and giggling).

In that moment it hit me that I wasn't rushing to do something. I wasn't headed out the door to work or off to an appointment or rushing though an errand or working hard to meet a school deadline or anything else. She and I were both just standing there, taking in the moment, enjoying each other's company, and it was wonderful.

I think we should all find a way each day to stop and watch the birds, to enjoy each other's company, and to take a deep breath, relax, and gather our thoughts in these crazy, hectic lives we lead.