It all began last week, when I was wandering along Charing Cross Road at about 11am. (Which is a busy London street, if you’re not from these parts). And generally, the street’s busy enough that the word “wander” is a bit of a misnomer…it was more like, “getting moved along in the crowd”.

Anyway, coming out of one shop, before re-joining the throng, I noticed a small, brown bird. it was huddled into a small corner, between the pavement and the shop facade. It looked at me, but didn’t move. Small wonder,because several of its tail-feathers were at right-angles to its body. Those feathers really didn’t look in any way promising, as flying apparatus goes.

So I went back into the shop, and asked the assistant,

“Do you know about the b-”

“The bird?” She finished the sentence for me. “Oh yes, we’ve already had dozens of people come and ask us about it. It hasn’t moved since we opened up this morning. We think it has a broken wing. There’s not much we can do at the moment, except keep an eye on it.”

Feeling rather sad about it, I left the shop.

Re-emerging, I noticed that the bird had now been given some crumbs by someone.

And then, right before my eyes, the bird stared into space intently, hopped around, and flew away. Not high, and not fast, but it flew.

So…

So, I guess I’m just inviting you to take away something uplifting from this. For one thing, even in the rush and the push, the story shows that lots and lots of people still care enough to stop and enquire about a small, brown bird.

And, even better, if you leave a piece of nature to rest and recover in it’s own way, it seems that almost nothing is a lost cause.

That little brown ball of feathers made one short flight for birds, and one giant, inspiring example for mankind.

More soon

Clare

Just a quick thought.

It seems, from the news reports, as if two former sworn enemies in Northern Ireland (Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams) have agreed to work together there.

If these two can lay aside their differences in such a spectacular way, how many of us can find it in ourselves to sweep away our own conflicts (whether internal or external) and start afresh?

It’s easy to concentrate on what still remains to be healed in the world. Let’s all just take this as an inspiring example of exactly what people can achieve, given enough focus, patience, determination and goodwill.

More soon

Clare