Part 1:
On a summer day, while playing cricket, found this pigeon lying on ground, getting intruded by ants. It had fallen from a tower nearby and injured a wing, looking terrified on what next.
Feeling sad for its state and did not want it to get feasted by other animals and insects, got it home, applied turmeric to the injured part and kept in a temporary shelf.
It took some time for the bird to get adjusted in the new nest. Not sure what to feed, attempted with millets and rice, it worked. Every day used to feed with these, and bird started recovering from its injury though it could not fly.
It got adopted to the home, responding to our calls, walking around in balcony and terrace. Whenever left alone in terrace, other pigeons used to visit this peculiar friend, can’t fly but staying with humans.
After few weeks, it seemed to have forgotten it is a bird and always running or walking around (may be due to internal injury or broken wings did not support to fly)
In between got two more pigeons (thanks to friends who called whenever they found them in distress), got it treated and It flew away, but this one stayed back.
Several months later, observed a cat roaming around residence and had to safeguard this bird from it.
We were always careful of not allowing bird to venture into balcony or terrace alone and used to chase the cat away whenever found nearby.
However, on an unfortunate day, it barged inside and took this bird away by grabbing in neck. Hearing the commotions, rushed to the scene, only to find few feathers and a cat running away with a pigeon in distance.
It was such a heartbreaking moment, after saving it from ants and seeing it got killed by cat.
Thus, the dislike towards cats started. Whenever found one used to chase it away, even if it’s sleeping peacefully in some shade …….!!
Part 2:
It was many years, after the above incident happened, one evening, a guest walked inside the house from open door without any fear. Surprised at its gutsy nature, tried to chase it away, but it stood grounded and did not bother to run like a Tom from the famous Tom and Jerry series...!! Yes, we had a cat at home…!!
This cat was very well used to human nature. Though had aversion towards the animal due to the earlier experience, the level of hatred had reduced due to the time lapsed.
It made some space in the compound as its shelter and depended on us for food. Out of kind started feeding and it became a habit. It used to walk in by breakfast time, gets its part of food, roam around and in the evening back on time for dinner. It became friendly, playful, and eventually became a pet for all of us and we took great care of it due to its adorable nature with us.
After several years, at usual morning time it did not turn up. We felt it must have ventured somewhere and will return in a while. However, the tragedy struck when a neighbor informed, he saw a dead cat in next street, and it was looking like ours.
Holding back the tears, hoping it will be untrue, rushed to the spot, just to see the animal lying there, with bites at neck. For some odd reasons it had ventured out of the safe compound and had got attacked by street dogs.
It took several days for all of us to let go the mood of losing a pet animal in a tragic way which it did not deserve. An animal which was hated few years ago and chased away, had pushed us to upsetting feelings.
Part 3
It is interesting to observe on how our perception changes towards various incidents in life. Either our likes or dislikes continues, till the feeling drifts away in memory and gets replaced with different experience.
You can replace the pigeon and cat in this story with anything in life – animal, place, people, or thing, we will have several such stories within us to recall and reflect.
Life is all about the perception we develop, to like or dislike, isn’t it…?!!
