The bird lay injured on the sidewalk. Its wounds were fatal and its breathing was labored. My friends and I tried to call for help, but being kids, we didn’t know who to ask. By the time we returned, the small Northern cardinal had already passed all alone. Five years later, I sat at my window with my binoculars glued to the skies. Being new to birdwatching, I was eager to catalog anything I could see, even if it was just a simple song sparrow. My phone was ready to snap a picture of whatever I saw so I could record it in my birdwatching app later. After fifteen minutes of anxious waiting, a beautiful blue jay landed nearby. I focused my binoculars and wrote down what I saw. It carried an acorn in its mouth, and soon it fluttered onto the pavement to crack it open to eat.
My mind couldn’t help but flashback to the bird of my childhood. The poor creature passed without anyone by its side. I wondered who would be by my side when the time came. My soul shuddered at the thought. Just as I plunged into the depths of depression, the blue jay flew back into my tree, coming face to face with another blue jay and making distinctive vocalizations. Listening to some other blue jay calls, I was able to determine that they were a breeding pair. I suppose it isn’t that hard to meet people. With a big smile on my face, I returned to my post with my binoculars.
I want to be able to form a community with people that share my interests, even if it isn’t about birdwatching. My true aim is to make sure that no one is alone and feels the pain of the cardinal. That isn’t to say that I intend to form a breeding pair with everyone I meet; all I want is to be a friend to everyone who needs it. At Johns Hopkins, I want the opportunity to socialize and grow my social network.
After a few minutes, my eyes absentmindedly drifted to the bottom of the tree, where a man taking a walk with his family was giving me the stink eye. I offered a wave but got nothing in response. Did they think I was some kind of pervert? In any case, I decided to stop birdwatching for the day.
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