...parrots...

6:30 am.  Sleeping.  Suddenly awake!  Loud screeching coming from the sky.  Parrots!

I am lucky enough to live in an area frequented by a very large group of WILD PARROTS.  I don't mean the ones I have living in my family room (even though they do act wild).  I mean wild urban parrots.  During this time of the year they fly over my house at around 6:30 am and play around in the trees all day until they fly off somewhere to the northwest to wherever they are roosting right now.  Wow, they are beautiful to see in flight...and funny to watch playing in the trees or on the wires above.  When we have loquats on our tree they like to sit in the tree and eat them, which is fine with me otherwise they all go to waste.  But, they are loud.  This is an important part of being a parrot, especially a wild parrot.  They live in pairs and family groups that, generally, stick together.  So, when they fly they are constantly calling to keep check on each other or to warn of dangers.  Living with a couple of parrots it is amazing to me how many different sounds they are capable of.  (Having a bird tell you "I love you" will have to be a post for another day. )  

Now, I know that this moment may not be one that would bring happiness to everyone's life. Some people may find the parrots downright annoying.  So, I guess this is a good time to talk about perspective.  Obviously, I am a bird person.  So, seeing these beautiful intelligent creatures flying free and thriving where they were never meant to be brings me running out of my house to watch them whenever they fly over.  However, others may be pretty annoyed during the 6:30 am fly-over when they are trying to get that last half-hour of sleep.  

So, I guess the point is that although this is my list of moments that bring me happiness, you should reflect upon the things that you run into every day that keep you moving forward. And remember, we are trying to look through that glass half full.  Maybe you can find something joyful that you never thought of in that way before...even at 6:30 am.   

Click here for more info on California's wild parrots.