<p class="bodytext">Birds and animals have an amazing quality of being in the moment. A glimpse into their life not only delights and rejuvenates but also inspires and educates. This truth dawned upon me when in Birmingham I was staying in the room where windows opened onto the backyard lawn. Squirrels were the permanent residents of that region. Their overfed bellies, leftover food, and their free and fearless frolicking testified to their unchallenged sovereignty.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The squirrels’ haven was open to aerial visitors, including pigeons and parrots, crows and sparrows, who squarely descended from the sky to perch on the eaves and windowsills. They would wait and watch to partake of the bits of bread and biscuits scattered around. There was no fight or contest among the squirrels and birdies for food. The feathered friends would not eat from the bowl meant for the groundhogs, and the latter were not scared of the former. Surely,<br /> they respected the polarity of the other, which is lacking in human society at large.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The VIP visitors to the place, however, were the chirping sparrows whose twittering and warbling filled the backyard with melodious music. Surprisingly enough, they would arrive at a fixed time and would look for their food at the windowsill of the kitchen and would keep on tapping till the breadcrumbs reached out to them. They would leisurely eat to their fill and merrily fly off, inspiring us to have a disciplined and delightful way of life.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The contentment and congeniality existing there were eliciting envy when suddenly there arose a commotion. A big mouse made an intrusion into the still and serene world of the squirrels. He teased and troubled the fat one. He would go near the bowl containing food and would try to take a bite. The squirrel would come running to protect the morsels. The rowdy rodent would pounce upon the poor mammal and make her run in fear. Feeling triumphant, the Mighty Mouse would march back to his burrow. The intimidator invaded again after a short while. The worrisome chipmunk timidly tried to fight the bully back but failed once again. The mischievous mouse made it a game.</p>.<p class="bodytext">I was losing interest in this one-sided game when suddenly the situation took a dramatic turn. The desperate gnawer turned the table on the teaser. It retaliated and ran after the rodent fiercely. The bewildered rat took to its heels. Emboldened and enraged, the squirrel chased the aggressor till it hid itself in its burrow. The victorious squirrel came back to the bowl, inspected it, and majestically climbed the tree.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It was impossible not to feel awe and wonder on watching this all. As Emmyeo Harris observes, “You can learn so much from [birds] and animals.” It was a rewarding experience that implied not only the message of being in the flow of life but also taking the bull by the horns while dealing with the oppressive forces in life.</p>
<p class="bodytext">Birds and animals have an amazing quality of being in the moment. A glimpse into their life not only delights and rejuvenates but also inspires and educates. This truth dawned upon me when in Birmingham I was staying in the room where windows opened onto the backyard lawn. Squirrels were the permanent residents of that region. Their overfed bellies, leftover food, and their free and fearless frolicking testified to their unchallenged sovereignty.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The squirrels’ haven was open to aerial visitors, including pigeons and parrots, crows and sparrows, who squarely descended from the sky to perch on the eaves and windowsills. They would wait and watch to partake of the bits of bread and biscuits scattered around. There was no fight or contest among the squirrels and birdies for food. The feathered friends would not eat from the bowl meant for the groundhogs, and the latter were not scared of the former. Surely,<br /> they respected the polarity of the other, which is lacking in human society at large.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The VIP visitors to the place, however, were the chirping sparrows whose twittering and warbling filled the backyard with melodious music. Surprisingly enough, they would arrive at a fixed time and would look for their food at the windowsill of the kitchen and would keep on tapping till the breadcrumbs reached out to them. They would leisurely eat to their fill and merrily fly off, inspiring us to have a disciplined and delightful way of life.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The contentment and congeniality existing there were eliciting envy when suddenly there arose a commotion. A big mouse made an intrusion into the still and serene world of the squirrels. He teased and troubled the fat one. He would go near the bowl containing food and would try to take a bite. The squirrel would come running to protect the morsels. The rowdy rodent would pounce upon the poor mammal and make her run in fear. Feeling triumphant, the Mighty Mouse would march back to his burrow. The intimidator invaded again after a short while. The worrisome chipmunk timidly tried to fight the bully back but failed once again. The mischievous mouse made it a game.</p>.<p class="bodytext">I was losing interest in this one-sided game when suddenly the situation took a dramatic turn. The desperate gnawer turned the table on the teaser. It retaliated and ran after the rodent fiercely. The bewildered rat took to its heels. Emboldened and enraged, the squirrel chased the aggressor till it hid itself in its burrow. The victorious squirrel came back to the bowl, inspected it, and majestically climbed the tree.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It was impossible not to feel awe and wonder on watching this all. As Emmyeo Harris observes, “You can learn so much from [birds] and animals.” It was a rewarding experience that implied not only the message of being in the flow of life but also taking the bull by the horns while dealing with the oppressive forces in life.</p>
