I Am the Bird

Pema Chӧdrӧn tells this story of inmate Jarvis Master in her book Practicing Peace in Times of War. 

One day there was a seagull out on the yard in San Quentin.  It had been raining and the seagull was there paddling around in a puddle.  One of the inmates picked up something in the yard and was about to throw it at the bird.  Jarvis didn't even think about it—he automatically put out his hand to stop the man.  Of course this escalated the man’s aggression and he started yelling.  Who the hell did Jarvis think he was?  And why did Jarvis care so much about some blankety-blank bird?

 Everyone started circling around, just waiting for the fight.  The other inmate was screaming at Jarvis, “Why’d you do that?”  And out of Jarvis’s mouth came the words, “I did that because that bird’s got my wings. 

I think it’s a lovely story.  Also, maybe it explains my attraction to my bird feeder.