One Dove Silenced

In reading over my post from last weekend, I noticed that I mentioned the conversation I was blessed to hear between two doves who reside in my backyard. This morning, one of those doves was silenced.

Before church this morning I was uncomfortable from the humidity and heat from the shower, while getting ready to leave. So, I took two minutes, and went out to my deck chair and watched the rain fall and listened to the sounds of morning. I was delighted to see the two doves over in the big tree, just where I saw them last weekend. They went about their morning chores, and I watched in quiet comfort.

Fast forward to a few hours later.

After we arrived home from church, I decided to do some chores in the living room. Having our space clean, helps me to relax and enjoy the rest of the day. Well, I looked up from my work to see one of the doves poking around in my flower bed. I stopped and commented to Graham, "look! look! The dove is enjoying the flowers!" I must add that I find childlike delight in the birds and animals finding comfort in the flowers that I helped sow. I stood there, my eyes fixed upon this bird that brings such lovely song to our space when, out from the bushes leapt this old scroungy cat that lives in the area. He took the dove in his mouth, wings flapping and then still, and ran off into another set of bushes. I screeched in horror, "oh no! oh no! no! no! no!" Graham had his back to the door/window and did not see what had just occurred. However, he did not need to ask. He knew that the bird was dead and gone. Emily ran into the room, responding to my cries and inquired about the matter at hand. I explained to her what had just transpired, and found myself crying. She joined in and we mourned the death of this little bird.

Then, Emily's sadness turned into rage towards this cat. I had to calm her and explain that the cat was just being a cat. He was acting in the way nature made him to be. Of course, I felt a similar rage and unfairness in the demise of this small creature. I had to keep reminding myself of the nature of cats, but it did little to appease my feelings of anger. There are a couple of scruffy cats that live in our neighborhood and frequently visit our patio. They taunt our own cats and dog, sending them into fits of hysteria. So, I already had negative feelings towards this particular feline.

After a few more moments, I calmed myself and returned to my work - though still unable to dismiss the moment of violence and death I had just witnessed, however small it might be in the larger context of our world. I looked at Graham and shook my head and said, "it's just so sad." He then said, "what makes it more sad is that it happened as you were truly appreciating the beauty of the moment."

Of course this event has a number of metephorical implications, with the dove being the sympol of peace. But even beyond that, this small event has given me a reason to pause and consider. Consider nature. Consider beauty. Consider God. I am not sure what the answer here is, as I continue to meditate on it. I truly grieve the loss of this bird, it's voice, and the conversations unheard. What's more, I am sure the bird's mate will grieve in it's own God given way, singing a new song. A sadder song? lonely song? a beautiful torch song? Or maybe a song of rebirth and strength? I await the news and the music.