Jamie and I have been working closely lately on a project she is developing and she had to point out to me that I have been a bit abrasive. She brings ideas to the table and counts on me to help her find a way to make them a reality. I have been quick to shoot them down and it is deflating to her creativity. I’ve been kind of…begins with b…rhymes with itchy. I hate it that she had to point this out to me and that I wasn’t able to see it for myself.
It makes me wonder how I have been around the birds. I have always found them relaxing. Sure, they are a lot of work and sometimes loud, but I find it peaceful to have them nearby. They make me think about the unsophisticated elegance of nature and they remind me of how simple life is supposed to be. I seem to lose sight of that during this time of year.
The birds are so receptive to my emotions that I wonder how much of my stress I might have passed on to them. Unfortunately, Linus, my umbrella cockatoo, is not here this season because he is always my gauge. He’s like a mirror. I could always see my own mood reflected back at me through him. If I was impatient with him, he was impatient with me. He always told me when I needed to decompress.
This year I had to be told by Jamie. So I am letting go of the holiday stress. I am going to find a new appreciation for the things around me and let the birds and everyone else know how much they mean to me. Happy New Year to you all.
Patty Jourgensen specializes in avian health, behavior and nutrition and has been working with and caring for rescue birds since 1987.
2 comments
Happy New Year to all! It seems funny but my cockatoo has begun to be very protective at his cage since the new year. He won’t let my hand and arm inside to bring him out . My Baby-Bird a Maluccan Cockatoo, wants to nip my hand and arm, so for now I use a perch. I do need to watch him or he’ll go after my fingers. It seems hormonal this time of year for him, and I’ve noticed he seem to get like maybe 2-3times a year. Once I have him away from his cage he seems to calm down, and I can handle him again. It is a surprise to wakeup with a somewhat different bird and attitude. Look out for that beak! Rhonda and Baby-Bird, CA
I don’t get stressed anymore with the holidays. I finally came to the realization that I was in control of my own emotions. If Christmas happens, it happens. If not, no big deal really. Actually, if you did your research you will find out that Christ’s birth is really sometime in April, probably around the 19th! “The shepherds were in the fields tending their sheep”. This happens in the spring when the sheep are lambing. The sheep are kept in stables during the winter months. Anyway back to the stress of the holidays. Don’t let it get to you. Life is way too short for stress and gettting b-itchy. From my flock to yours..Happy New Year!
Leave a comment