I was greeted with a strong blow of dust as I opened the door of the room I was allocated to. I was in my university hostel which was around 200 miles away from home and was supposed to live there for a week midst my summer break. I pulled the blinds to let some sunshine in and I saw a bird which I couldn't recognize. It seemed a small bird with fluffy wings and yellow highlights on the head and the neck area. I turned back and asked my mom. She replied confidently, "It's a baby pigeon, also called as a squab." I had never seen a baby pigeon before and I was happy to have him just outside my window. I looked around and did not sight any nest or pigeons nearby and was immediately worried about him. My mom waved me goodbye and there I was all alone for a week but hey, I had found my companion in this baby pigeon.
If you're anything like me and haven't seen a baby
pigeon before, it looks something like this ^.^
Two days had been passed and I saw no pigeon coming to look for him. I was expecting his mother to come and feed him. With each passing day, my worry for him only increased. I tried keeping a bowl of water for him to drink but he won't just let me come near. He was too afraid of me, I suppose. Even though, I did nothing for him to be scared of me. I did research on Google regarding baby pigeons and everything that I could do for him but all was in vain.
That night as I was lying on my bed and trying to sleep, I heard a loud thunder. It started raining, actually storming. The lights went out and I was concerned about the pigeon outside. He was still too young to walk properly, let alone fly! My heart ached for him and that's when I turned into my family and friends for some help. Some made fun of my attachment and feelings for animals, some told me to let nature decide its way and course, some told me to get him inside my room while the rest told me to contact a NGO.
I was confused. I wanted the best for him but didn't know what would be the appropriate decision at that time. I wanted to get him inside. I knew he would protest and I did not wanted him to get him inside his will. He did not trusted me and I knew he would be really scared inside in my room plus I had nothing to feed him. What would happen if I make it worse? I decided to abandon the idea. I kept watching him time and again to make sure he is alright and hope his mother arrives soon. He braved the storm strongly and the night was over finally.
.....
The next morning I was waken up the loud chirping of the birds. I looked outside the window and I saw a beautiful sight of his mother feeding the baby pigeon. I was happy and very much relived. From that day onward till yesterday, the time I left that place to come home, his mother came several times a day to feed him and flew to a safer distance where she could watch him and still guard. Ah! The love of a mother.
I now knew he was in safer hands.
Looking back I was also happy of my decision to let him stay outside that night. I was attached to him and he was the first thing I saw when I woke up and the last thing before I slept while I was there. I love him and wished I could hug him like I hug my pet dog Scruffy. I waved him goodbye and took home a lot of lessons, love and memories.
