A 9/11 Parable: the Story of the Doves

Yesterday, we had a gardening crew come to cut back the bougainvillea in our back yard. We have a 2-story wall around our yard, and the bougainvillea grows up the very back of it. This plant has been growing unfettered for several years, and was gorgeous but out of control at a good 30 feet high (10 meters). It was also growing well forward of the wall, and was in danger of falling onto the house. The only recourse was to have it cut way back.

The bad news is that the plant was full of bird nests, mostly Pacific doves. It broke my heart to think of driving all these birds out of their homes, but it couldn't be helped. Worse, I can't stand to think of how many little eggs may have been destroyed. Fortunately, it's early enough in the spring that I don't think there were too many actual fledglings, but I'm sure there were a few. There were doves flying all over my back yard yesterday, cooing and crying, in a panic, looking for their nests and offspring. I shed more than a few tears, watching the destruction of their world and hearing their heartbroken cries.

The good news is that these birds are resilient. I was amazed to see them out there today, searching the yard for sticks and twigs, looking for materials to start all over again. I called my sons to the window, and showed them one already completed nest, down in the lower branches of the bougainvillea. I also saw quite a few of doves up on the upper branches, doing what it is that birds do to make baby birds.

It got me to thinking - It's a good lesson for us humans. And to me, it's a parable to the September 11 attacks. To see these birds that have lost everything - their homes, their families, everything important to their lives- bounce back; to see them get up the next day and just do what needs to be done to succeed and to thrive. They aren't quitting, they aren't giving up. They aren't looking for revenge, they aren't looking for someone to blame, and they aren't sitting around waiting for a handout. They just got a good night's sleep and woke up and got started rebuilding their lives without bickering amongst themselves about what needed to be done.

And I think that's a good lesson for all of us, especially on this day. I think we need to get passed the bickering, the name-calling and the blame-laying. We need to get on with our lives. Am I saying we should forget the September 11attacks ever happened? Of course I'm not. But I do think we can take a lesson from the doves about moving on.