Goldfinch waiting his turn at the Nyjer feeder in the front yard on a very chilly, Winter day.
Compassion. Very few people understand what it is or how it works. Kind of sad, isn't it? Still, just like "Love," compassion isn't something you FEEL, it's something you DO. You can't fake either of them, no matter how hard you may try. I've personally never found the point to faking love for whatever the end game may mean. I mean, fake fruit is pretty when it's done correctly.. but who the hell wants to eat it?
You see, this is exactly why "Pity" is a worthless and unkind offering. It's fake, and it's not about that which you claim to pity, but more of an expression of what's inside YOU when you 'feel' it. It has nothing at all to do about the person or thing or situation whatsoever. I'll leave you to ponder that for a while.
What happens if someone you claim to love is sick, either short-term or long-term? How long did it take for you to start feeling sorry for yourself because, suddenly, you have more of the 'burden' of the relationship? When did the seed of resentment break through the surface, and how long did you actively participate in its cultivation before it bloomed? And what did you think of that rancid thing when it took over your garden of decay?
Where was your compassion then? Did you recognize the moment it died?
Our resident mockingbird pair has claimed the front yard as either their food territory, or their nesting territory. Not sure which, but it's a bit of a challenge for the smaller birds. They seem to work it out on their own. And the smaller birds do have the backyard feeders. Let nature taken her own course, then sit back and watch the show...
I've spoken about compassion before, and it's likely a more boring subject for most people online. Still, it's a big deal to me, because I find those who lack compassion.... frightening.
Case in point: I can't tell you how many people complain, bitch, whine and worse about how a mockingbird is singing nearby all night long. Instead of looking up WHY this happens, those people simply look for a way to rid themselves of the bird. A little knowledge goes a long way, folks, and if you know WHY this happens and still want to 'rid' yourself of the singing bird at night, then you are a void, a complete hollow, a black hole in humanity. Why? Because you lack compassion OR the foresight or intelligence to perhaps use some ear plugs. IF you knew anything at all, you'd know the nighttime singing will stop on it's own. What stops it?... companionship!
Someone once wrote a beautiful article about why mockingbirds sing at night, and truth be told.. not all of them do! ONLY the unattached males sing at night, the bachelors. In fact, he sings his heart out, calling for a mate.. who may either be his first, or perhaps to replace a lost mate, mostly due to predators.
In the article it was a single sentence that made it clear what he's singing about, a phrase that made me smile. "This song you're hearing is a love song!"
A love song. Sadly, there are people out there in the world that don't care about anything that's more than 1/2 inch from their own skin, the egocentric, the narcissistic, the borderline personalities, the ones with a dark hollow where their heart should be, the same people whose bloated egos tell them they're just so perfect, but yet they lack the good sense or intelligence to google "Why does a mockingbird sing at night."
My mockingbird who protects the yard (even from snakes) doesn't sing at night, and I've seen him with his mate in the yard, chasing each other about, his showing off how awesome he is for having such a wonderful territory, such amazing and striking white bands on his wings. The dance is both beautiful and curious, and I love watching them. I hope to never hear him singing in the darkness, because I know the story it will tell if he does. But I have heard that sound at night before, back when I lived in my apartment in Mobile. Memories of a better time.
More later........
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