You know that Crest commercial that says, "Life opens up when you do?" I've known this is true for a long time, but it's funny that "trying" to open up at the wrong time just doesn't produce the results I wanted. Anyway, it was as simple as taking a walk.
It was gorgeous today. Upper 60s, sunny, everyone was out taking a stroll. We take a slightly different path than usual (you know how changing the little things can make things refreshingly happy?). We stop at our usual stopping place, when a runner comes out from behind us and pulls off at the same time. Awkward, I think, and slowly start walking away to give her her space. Apartment complex has these different "fit stations" along the way. Station 18 is a balance bar that the girls always like to walk on, so we make a point to stop there. Anyway, so I'm walking away when Emma starts saying, "Please don't go! I want to go there," and, who could say no to that? So I turn around, and we end up meeting the nicest girl. The runner was using an app called Global Cache where you can find things. She pulled out a tube from a hole in the wall, opened it, and there was a paper with people's names on it who had found the tube. She signed her name, and put it back, but not without showing Emma what she was doing first. It was like finding a secret treasure! She showed me the app and we talked about it for a little while, so cool that there are things like that!
Anyway, so she runs off eventually and then a mom with her 2 1/2 year old daughter walk on by. We start talking, too! (I must have been sending off "talk to me vibes" today - not complaining!) Turns out she is from Germany and she was friends with other moms from Europe, but they recently moved. :( We talked about how there really aren't any activities for moms and parents in our complex, all of the events seem steered towards the single crowd, which is interesting because I see a LOT of parents and small children walking around when we take our walks. She told me that she asked the management if they were planning on getting a playground or anything and was told that they weren't because they didn't want people who weren't living in the apartment complexes to use it. (?) That seems ridiculous to me, but I suppose if you're paranoid...
Anyway, so the kids will keep "sliding" down the wooden incline intended for crunches and walking on the balance beams.
Then the bird man came! The "bird man" is an older gentleman who dries corn kernels and brings a grocery bag full of them every day to feed the ducks, geese, and pigeons that live in our complex. He gives other people food. It's amazing how the birds will land on you and start eating out of your hand! He let me do this several times. Lizzie was laughing the whole time because he threw a bunch of kernels to where she was standing and the birds landed all around her. The pigeons were so graceful and synchronized. They would land, eat up the dropped kernels, and then, as if rehearsed, all take the sky in a loud cocphany of fluttering wings. They would fly in a circle around the gentlman, and then land together. They did this several times. I had a pigeon startle me because it landed on my shoulder from behind, so I didn't see it. It was amazing to just stand there and let these pigeons land on you and eat from your hand and to fly all around you. It took a little bit of courage and a lot of peace. There is something about letting other forms of life coexist with you peacefully. Pigeons aren't really something that I usually pay attention to a lot. Emma was a little scared of the birds, but she was playing with her little playmate "Eva" the entire time.
I later learned the name of the mom we had been talking to and whose daughter Emma had been playing with. It was Veronica. I hope to see her again. It was amazing how natural and seamless interacting with her was.
It was also amazing to see all the passer-byes who waved or said hello to the bird man. He is definitely a local celebrity!
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