Have You Ever Been Blindsided?

This morning, a small blue bird flew directly into one of our porch windows. The little boys and I were at the kitchen table eating breakfast and heard a resounding THUMP! Poor YS is strapped into his booster, so he could not join in the fray, but MS and I bolted out to the porch to see what had happened. Just below the window, we saw an exquisitely beautiful bird, lying on its side, legs slightly twitching and chest heaving in and out.

MS is a great lover of animals, so he was immediately concerned (and secretly hoping to touch the small creature). He clamored to go outside and investigate, but I made him call for Daddy. Daddy took him outside and they squatted down beside the bird. It was clearly still alive, but for how long? Daddy picked up a small twig and gently placed it beneath the bird and pushed it into an upright position.

I could swear the bird heaved a sigh of relief. Still, it remained in its motionless state, breathing intensely. Daddy explained to MS that the bird might merely be stunned from the impact of flying into the window. After great cajoling, we finally managed to get MS back into his seat to finish his breakfast (thankfully pancakes this time, instead of soggified cereal - I believe I just made that word up, since spell check doesn't accept it).

I promised that if the bird was still there after breakfast, I would take a photo of MS with the bird. Perhaps this will be an annual photo shoot, since we captured a photo of MS last spring, with the baby bird he had caught in his butterfly net. MS forgot the promise and ran off to the playroom.

When I took the camera out to the patio, the bird flew off into a nearby bush. I did manage a few photos, but haven't uploaded them yet. Still, I have been thinking about that bird on and off throughout the day.

I feel a bit like that bird. At some point in my life, I thought I was flying steadily in a fitting direction, only to be blindsided by an unexpected obstacle. Upon impact, I fell to the ground and didn't think I would ever get up again. I'm sure I wanted to check my wings to determine whether they would allow me to fly again, but didn't really have the strength to pull it together.

In my case, others helped to stand me upright. But, like that bird, I know that I lingered in that stunned position for much longer than I anticipated. And, like that bird, nobody else could muster the spirit and strength to resume flight. The bird had to ride out the stunned moments, when the wind had been knocked out of his chest, until eventually fear (perhaps of pending peril or permanent paralysis) prompted him to fly at least to a nearby branch (which felt safer than the patio).

Then, I began to wonder if that bird will ever be blindsided again. During the first months that we lived here, we had a "crazy bird" that would continually fly directly into the window. When I asked someone about it, they repeated a speculation someone else had passed on, that the bird sees its own reflection in the window and mistakes it for another bird. The action of propelling itself, voluntarily, into the window over and over is a matter of territorial claims. (Or perhaps that bird had early Alzheimer's, like me - ha!)

I know I am not a scientist of bird habits, but birds crashing into our windows is not exactly an uncommon occurrence. I have a feeling, life could blindside me again. Hopefully, some kind soul will be there to help me into an upright position. Then again, we've had a bird or two that we've had to scoop off the patio pavement and bury out in the draw.

I hope that little blue bird flies free and strong. I trust he will avoid our windows in the future. Mostly, though, I hope I can get to flying free and strong again as well and that I will somehow be able to avoid the figurative windows in my life, too.