A Letter to My Father 2018

Flight of A Pigeon

DAY 1

"Little baby crow landed in my balcony. Looks sick.. ... This has never happened to me. I don't know how to take care of it. I put some seeds inside tub for him to eat and left water in a little cup inside... but he doesn't move so he does not reach the water. So just took the water out to give him space. Feeling helpless and sad. 😢😢😢😢😢 Anyone know what to do??"

This is what my post said on FB. Comments were many but solutions, none.

DAY 2
I cried over the next three days, starting on DAY 1 and getting worse on DAY 2. In tears, I took the baby bird to the vet (and found out it was a pigeon), and cried while the vet cleaned its wounds, cried while my husband syringe fed it, cried while it chirped for reasons unknown and fell asleep at a moment's instance. While it relieved itself, occasionally palpitated or even if it didn't even move, again I cried! I was clearly terrified of knowing nothing of caring for this baby.

DAY 3"The orphaned/ lost baby pigeon in my balcony ...is not a crow, as confirmed after going to the vet yesterday. Will be taking care of him until he is strong enough to join his species. As advised, we feed him water and mushy oats or rice through a syringe. The vet also made him a nest with newspapers and cleaned wounds. We are giving him vitamins twice a day. **Thanks to all of you who have been advising and checking in on FB**"

As soon as I finished typing up the above message, I read through some of the most heart warming and encouraging messages on FB in support of my efforts to care for baby #Jana. Just after, I got a phone call from an artist friend.

LATER ON DAY 3

"A NEW LIFE
Seeing my posts on FB, an artist friend who loves birds and has been rearing them off and on, reached out to me and offered to care for the bird from now on. My hubby (also a doting dad to the lil fella by now) and I, had mixed feelings at first. It was hard to let the baby pigeon go but I have been crying for 3 days because I didn't feel equipped to care for it as well as a mother bird can. But when artist #heartvasal reached out to me, he put me at ease with his love, feeding technique and his experience with bird-care. This bird will live with a famous artist-cum-birdrearer here on - and maybe even inspire an art piece or two! Who knows! Most of all this #babypigeon will be in good hands and with great hearts❤❤

Hubby and I transported him earlier this evening - nest, vitamins and all, to his loving new Appa and 2 wonderful Ammas. We miss him but we know this move is best for the lil fella. I am touched that the new Appa has named the bird #Jana. I am emotional just writing this. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO SHOWED LOVE ON FB. ESPECIALLY TO #HEARTVASAL for his love for orphaned birds!"

And so my journey with baby #Jana takes on a trajectory different from what I initially envisioned. I still cry. Lesser now that I know it is being cared for by experienced people. But I cry because I am not them. And because baby #Jana will not know me when I visit him in the weeks to come. 

XOXOXOXO to baby #Jana! Soon you will fly.