Yesterday I watched an altercation on the sidewalk as I sat at a stop light. The light seemed to stay red longer than usual and I wondered if I was meant to see everything I saw. I hadn't even planned on being in that area.
I heard a thump and looked over to see a crow lying on it's back on the sidewalk. At first I thought it was dead, but then it moved. I waited for it to clear it's head and take off, but it was struggling. Then out of nowhere came two more crows and they attacked the injured bird, tormenting him. He was making an awful sound that made me cringe. They didn't let up in the least, constant attack while they screached in that way they do that can sounds like laughter. I thought I was going to have to get out of my car and kick some crow. I don't even like crows, but more than that I don't like the weak being tormented.
Then to my surprise a super crow showed up. He chased off the tormentors and I found myself smiling over this little sidewalk episode. Then super crow went to the injured crow and pecked at him. I was crushed. Until he pecked so hard that the injured crow flipped over on his feet. He made his way to the shelter of an electrical box. Super crow stood guard screaming his warning out to those who dared mess with his friend.
The light turned green and off I went, wondering what I was supposed to get out of that. Animals protect their injured from preditors while they recover. I see it all the time on animal planet. What was the significance of this scene? Then it hit me. His own kind became the enemy when he was down. His own species turned on him. Super crow didn't have to protect his friend from a ferocious dog or hungry cat. He had to protect him from two birds that looked just like him. If they had all been flying together, I could not have identified them.
It reminded me of people and I got kind of sad for awhile.
“To share your weakness is to make yourself vulnerable; to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength.”
― Criss Jami
― Criss Jami
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