Learning to Let the Small Things Go
November 1st, 2011Jamieleigh
Photo by Jamieleigh
Location: Inside the RV
With: Rose breasted cockatoo “Bondi”
While watching over Bondi while she is sick she’s been living in the RV with me. When I do the dishes, which have to be done by hand, I put them in the left sink to dry. They were sitting there clean and I was enjoying the fact that I didn’t have to rush to put them away before bringing her out of her carrier because with Rocko I had to do that, otherwise he’d poop all over them!
Well Bondi sat on the counter and went over to the clean dishes with her soggy pellets and started breaking them into pieces over the clean dishes. At first I said, “Aw man, Bondi…” and then as she looked up at me I thought… I should just be grateful she’s here and alive, and not acting like she’s on her death bed and the fact that I’m able to enjoy her right now. The here, the now.
I stopped myself from freaking out about some newly cleaned dishes that were getting dirtied again by Bondi, my cockatoo, and just appreciated the fact that she was there to do it.
It made me realize how often we all, as humans, flip out about the small things and sometimes most of us don’t learn how to just let it go. Let your bird dirty the dishes – avoid yelling at it and taking things away or moving it – circumstances it won’t understand and that really do no one any real harm. Sure, it cost me some more time to rewash the dishes later but it was nice to just let it go and enjoy the moments.
Enjoy the quirks parrots have to offer to our every day life.
i finally got are fancy(rose breasted cockatoo)out of her cage thanks to you guys.Man it made me and my wife cry,she will get real close to my ear and and wisper to me boy does it tickle. but she still wants to bite now and then and plays hard not to get in her double wide bird establishment any advice.
awwwwww …. you’re a good birdy daddy!!!
Lovely story and “lesson”, best wishes for Bondi to get well!!!
Extremely sweet recollection. Doyle H. McNelly
I am new to the bird biz, having recently rescued a Hahn’s Macaw. I have since learned that our birds can teach us a lot about life and relationships. This story is a prime example of this. In an unrelated lesson, once I realized Charlie (Named for “Charlie bit my finger! on youtube) would never bite me unless he thought I was requesting it, we never had that problem again. If everyone had a bird, the world would be a better place.
she is beautiful,almost pink which for a guy is my favorite color.i have a sun con10 and a half and the love of my life.being single the past 12 years he is a joy.he sleeps under my covers since he was a baby and he wil not sleep at night until i take him with me.we just got out of the shower,he loves it.i hold his back to the flowing water and sometimes he looks like he is dozing off.He gets braver every time and now sits on a rack close to the flowing water.most of the time he perches of the towel rack in the back ofthe shower.I have learned to do as you say here.Let him be to explore whatever he sees.He will fly to the sink and the kitchen and perch over the basin.I never yell at him even when his voice which is loud can send chills up your spine..lol.He looks just like the conure at the top of the page.God’s innocent ones and we must take care of them even if its cleaning up after they do what they do..paul
how old is bondi.do you happen to know the normal life span of a sun conure.I have heard many different comments on that.I’m 71 and should i go my daughter in chicago says she will be good to him and I trust that..
NEVER sweat the small stuff. And bird poop is small stuff.
ive just learned to let the small stuff go. it makes life so much more enjoyable and now i enjoy spending moer time with oliver my blue font amazon. she is my best friend
I try to live by this concept as well. Keep things in perspective and appreciate all the little moments.
I have an Eclectus male that needs a home. I travel a lot and he has to be in the cage a lot of the time and he gets depressed. He started to pluck his feathers a long time ago even when the female was alive. His name is Mambo, he talks and is a character. I need to get him a great home where he can get the attention he deserves. I live in Miami and I am willing to take him to Broward, the Keys or WPB is someone can offer a nice home for him. Please contact us if interested. 305 610-1006
I was very touched by Kathy from Wausau, Wisconsin, as I lost my husband a year and a half ago and I am now very grateful for my African Grey, even though he dirties some time, but he chats with my husbands deep scottish voice which I find very comforting albeit a little sad.