The Flight of the Hummingbird

There is a story told to a friend of mine by a Tibetan monk.

     One day a great heat storm came to the forest.  Lightning flashed and a bolt struck a group of tinder-dry trees causing them to erupt in flame.  Soon the fire began to spread.  As it grew, it quickly became apparent to the animals of the forest that their home was in danger of being destroyed.

     All the animals raced to the river and safely crossed to the other side.  As they stood there watching the fire consume the forest they noticed that the hummingbird had not joined them.  The owl, bear, wildcat, skunk, snake and the rest were safely away but nowhere could they find hummingbird.

     One of them soon saw it.  Hummingbird was flying to the river and taking a drop of water in its beak, flying quickly to the fire, dropping it into the flames, and flying back to the river for another drop.  The animals called out, "Hummingbird!  Come here and be safe with us!"  But the hummingbird acted as if it did not hear them and kept flying from the river to the fire, each time with a drop of water.

     The other animals began to laugh at hummingbird's antics.  "You'll never put it out," they cried, "You are wasting your time!"  Instead of stopping, their taunts made the hummingbird more determined and it flew even faster.  Back and forth hummingbird darted with the drops of precious water as the fire ravaged the land.

     The fire continued to grow.  The catcalls from the animals grew louder as they watched the forest being consumed in flame.  "You'll never make it!"  "Give up!" they called.  But hummingbird kept on.

     Finally, one of the animals called out, "Why are you doing that?   You'll never succeed!   Why don't you stop?"  Hummingbird paused in flight and answered, "I'm doing the best I can."

These are the things you learn by living alone

     They say the best gift you can give a toddler is an empty oatmeal carton.  With dogs, it is a slice of marrow bone.  It not only keeps them occupied for about an hour initially the residual chew times can go on for days.

     Telemarketers and other auto-dialer phone nazis use a program that allows the phone number four rings and then disconnects.  Some stretch it to six rings.  When I grew up, long before the advent of answering machines, you were taught to let the phone ring ten times before you hung up.  Ten rings is roughly equivalent to one minute.  But in today's digital world where the programmers believe people are married to their phones they have programmed in a bias that allows me to easily avoid them.  I answer only after six rings.

     The dogs have a certain schedule for bathroom times whether you are home or not.

     I used to think I was busy.  Now I have a tough time keeping up with myself.

     If you take the neighbors blackberry coffee cake, they'll return the plate very quickly.  Give them homemade, five bean soup and you won't hear from them for a few days.

     It is not difficult cooking for one.  Just make enough for six and eat for a week.  Following that same logic leads to panic when you have 18 days of food and your taste buds shift again.  Thank God for freezer space. And neighbors.

     To hell with the Tooth Fairy.  I want a Laundry Fairy that takes it and gives me a quarter for leaving it out.

    Play until you are tired and then rest.  The world will wait until you get up.

    to be continued... both in thought as well as form.