Story of a small, displeased, pink and black bird

There was once this very small bird that came from a long line of very small birds.

The small bird was beautifully distinctive with a big pink patch on her breast, making the black of its feathers seem even darker. The bird looked around at her family and saw itself reflected in their behaviors and life style.

The bird did not see any of them dissatisfied with their way of being and of doing things. This puzzled the bird greatly as for some unknown reason, deep under the pink plumage, the small bird struggled with a huge feeling of dissatisfaction.

Sometimes, this huge feeling, engulfed the bird so badly that it could not even enjoy the seeds it was eating, or the smooth flight on the warm breeze.

The small bird started to feel jealousy towards the other birds for their calm and uncomplicated joie de vivre. Why was it different? Why was it not content with its lot? Why did they have everything it wished for and did not have?

Jealousy poisoned the little bird, and each time it got the opportunity it did its utmost to ruin everybody else’s peacefulness. Are those seeds nice? The small bird made sure to cover them in dust or poo on them, and then just complain how bad they were.

The situation got so bad that the other birds started to discreetly avoid the dissatisfied complainer of the group. The birds would be quiet around the little bird, hiding their joy over this or that, for fear of it not throwing negativity around.

So, the world around the small bird became very quiet and very fake, a figment of its dissatisfaction. But the little bird was smart, very smart, and it saw through all of it and it made it very, very sad.

The small bird wanted to feel joy and happiness, it did not want to be locked out of it, so it decided to go searching for answers, maybe somebody out there, in the big, wide forest, would know to guide it.

The small bird flew with its tiny wings as far as it could, and when it could fly no more, it stopped to rest on a tree. So tired the small bird was that without realizing it fell asleep right then and there. A swift swooshing sound woke up the pink bird and a snake missed sinking its fangs into it by an inch.

The small bird flew all panicked and thanked the heavens for being alive. Living felt like a gift and it made the bird feel something else than dissatisfaction. At first the little bird did not know what it was it was feeling, but then as the feeling sunk in past the pink feathers, right to its little heart, euphoria took over.

The small bird did not know to explain it what the feeling was, and when it saw a big grey speckled owl meditating on a solitary branch, it stopped over for a chat.

Owls, although introvert and seemingly unsociable, like to discuss philosophy and existentialism, they never tire of it, so when the small bird explained what it was going through, the owl opened big, round, smiling eyes and said:

‘Everything is old and everything is new.’

The small bird clearly displayed its confusion, because the owl continued without waiting for an answer.

‘You should spend more time with your elders, they will teach you the oldness of your new ways, helping you discover what your way of being serves for and how to employ it, so you are not ruled by it, but make good use of it.’

The small bird was sure the owl was not all there, old birds get batty sometimes. Something did stick with it though, and when it returned to its home, after resting safely for a while, it went to join the elders in their little run down nest.

After explaining why it was there, one of the older birds, barely being able to stand on its spindly legs, asked:

‘Look around our nest here, what do you see?’

The small pink bird looked around and saw the nest of the elders was so cracked it looked like it was about to crumble to the ground. It would be rude to say that though, so it answered in a very polite way:

‘A small crack there in the far corner, but nothing to worry about!’

The elder puffed its almost white former pink feathers in satisfaction.

‘Well spotted! Can you help with that?’

The small bird understood and without thinking further it set about fixing the nest, making it secure and solid. When it finished the small bird was overwhelmed by this wave of satisfaction. The satisfaction of a job well done and of understanding that what it felt inside had a purpose, it had just not found it yet.

Ever since, the small, pink bird evaluates situations, helps out, states dissatisfaction, identifies risks and mitigates them, contributing to the well being and security of its little pink tribe.

Sometimes, it goes to visit the perpetually old owl in the woods, and they chat about this or the other, and the small bird is grateful for all the confusing things it learns as life now is very satisfyingly being discovered with all its areas for improvement.