Bullies

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement

Bullies

Go away, you big bully!  The evidence is clear. Our beautiful blue bird who nested in our bird house has been replaced by a nest stealing brown bird. The gorgeous blue feathers accessorized with a splash of red on the bird’s breast no longer dart in and out to feed the young in our bird house. The brown bird we now view living close to our window took his place. We miss the flashes of bright color of our blue bird brought us.

 

I read once that those beautiful songs we hear birds sing aren’t sung to express happiness, but to assert their territory and demand other birds go away. A quick internet search confirms Cowbirds, Sparrows and Starlings steal nests. Sometimes Wrens also take over another bird’s nest. Nature is full of practices ranging from unpleasant to downright brutal and vicious.

 

We may bemoan the self-centered activities in the animal world, but a glance at the morning newspaper, a few minutes of TV news confirms that we humans are capable of displaying  as much or worse self-serving behavior. In spite of the fact we are blessed with the ability to think and reason which surpasses the animal world, human kind often resorts to base instincts instead of considering others. We don’t steal our neighbor’s home like a Cowbird, but we may envy them. We know we should not break windows and start a slug fest, but we see these very acts of aggression in the news. God help us use the reasoning, thinking abilities You gave us to live beyond selfishness and adopt habits and action patterns that bless those around us.