Once the messenger of choice for royals and riffraff alike, only to lose that title to the Pony Express, today’s pigeons are still thankful. First the transatlantic telegraph cable and now the internet made their skills obsolete, but on this day each year in the United States of America the much maligned for their messy potty habits, shunned fowl of the freeway underpass are thankful. Thankful I say! Thankful that city dwellers drop bagels as they rush passed them on the busy street, thankful that tourists throw breadcrumbs they buy from an old lady in the park, thankful for street venders who toss stale pretzels near the dumpster in the alley. Oh, and thankful, oh so very thankful that they are not turkeys.
If a lowly pigeon can be thankful for these small gifts, there is no excuse for me not to be thankful every single day of my life. Thankful for my breath, my sight, my strength. Thankful for those who love me when I’m not being particularly lovable. Thankful for those who’ve hurt me and made me aware of just how much pain I can tolerate. Thankful for those who’ve helped me and taught me how to be gracious. Thankful for the gift of laughter, the delight and wild abandon of dancing in the sunlight and singing in the rain.
Thankful I have a soul and for the knowledge of its value. Thankful for the regard of a stranger who becomes a friend on a bus. Thankful for the freedom to choose to praise whatever I deem worthy and despise the hour it is ripped away. Thankful for the love I share, the love I receive, the love I hope to know in the future. Thankful for peace in my home, on my street, in my country today. Thankful I do not need. Thankful I do not want. Thankful every time I wake up and can still be thankful for these things.
Gobble Gobble everybody, tomorrow you shop! Thankful, so very thankful, I will not be in a retail, department, discount or on-line store on Black Friday.
Oh, and I’m thankful that I am not a turkey!
Bird Is The Word!!!!
Every day is Mother’s Day
Why did the Thai chicken cross the road?
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Honie Briggs 
Was it George Carlin who said that escaped parakeets, out of fear and loneliness, mate with city rats, and that’s where pigeons come from?
I imagine the pigeons are a bit less thankful in France….
I’m thankful I’m not a turkey, too. First they suffer the ignominy of being passed over for the esteemed title of “national bird” in favor of the bald eagle. And then, every November, they end up with their ass in the air stuffed full of bread and veggies. The humiliation must be through the roof.
Yeah, I bet turkey therapists will make a boat load of money as soon as the People for Animal Equality convince congress to pass that turkey reparation act. Votes For Turkeys!!!!
Brilliant post! I love the idea of being thankful for those who have hurt you and made you aware of how much pain you can tolerate. That helps me see it in a new light. Thank you! 🙂
Thank you very much. Before you start thinking I’m some kind of super enlightened, well adjusted, kumbaya singing chick, you need to know the good thing about being aware of how much you can pain you can tolerate. Once you know, it’s easier to decide whether it’s time to kick somebody’s ass or live to fight another day.
Haha good point!
Hope you had a lovely day. Love the picture of the mallard and her little duckies…
I did have a lovely day. That mother duck was fierce, but oh so beautiful.
I love how pretty our pigeons are at the beach with their luminescent coloring and cute little head bob.
I am thankful for your writings, that I also will not be shopping anywhere this weekend, thankful for my body, and thankful that I have a computer to connect to the world.
Leah, that is a kind thing to say. Thank you.
You’re welcome. 🙂
I had turkeys in the yard yesterday – totally freaked the dogs out. Maybe they were doing the happy dance for having avoided the dinner table. I love the shot of the duck – so sweet.
turkeys doing the happy dance, now THAT is a party! Yeah, the ducks were stranded in the mall parking lot and I was trying to save them from what surly would have been a horrible death under the wheel of a big ass SUV. if you haven’t already, you can read all about it & see more photos here: Every Day Is Mother’s Day
Wow – that was such a sweet set – I have always loved ducks for some reason, maybe their scarcity in the desert.
It’s good to be thankful. Even Turkeys can be feel thankful as well: they are stuffed, killed and stuffed again. We each have a purpose.
Happy stay-at-home, no-shopping Friday to you as well!
no traffic, no pushing, shoving, standing in line…yeah, that makes me happy!
love the cardinal (that is the red bird isn’t it?)
Yes, the cardinal. He’s a beauty, snapped that shot in my backyard. I couldn’t believe he posed for so long while got my camera. Cardinal are vain like that.
I live in an area that has lots of wild turkeys. And when I see them, I scream out, “RUN!! HIDE!! Save yourselves!!” It’s the least I can do.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Funny! Do they run or just stand there like stupid turkeys?
Umm… I think English isn’t their native language, and they question my sanity. Well, I question that too, but…
Nice post, nice pics…and I am glad that I’m not a turkey! 😉