Misunderstood help: Will your perception change?
An analysis of an interesting incident and its meaning
I have been feeling quite low in the last few weeks — cannot precisely pin point as to why but I was reluctant to seek help from others. Well intended support from friends and family came but for unknown reasons (probably my ego) I chose to not accept it.
Then this happens and makes me rethink of this entire situation.
The incident
October 27th, 2019.
Dad and I return from Church, and I decide to clean my room again from the piling up mess that cannot seem to stop massing up every weekend. I leave my curtains closed all the time as I tend to be lazy to open/close it day after night. I heard the sound of a bird outside but did not think much about it.
My Dad, however, opened the curtains and saw what had happened. My window has an outer net to prevent birds from entering and dirtying the window sill.
But we saw a pigeon already inside. How did it enter? It did not take us long to understand that the pigeon actually got in through the side panel in the above floor and exited through the crack on the panel door just outside my window.
Doe not make sense? All you need to know is now we have a pigeon that is stuck and cannot figure out a way to go. It is trying its best to break the net but with no success. It put its neck through a hole in the net but the body is (obviously) too large to accept the option.
So it is panicked and unable to make sense of the situation. And my Dad looking over it did not help improve the condition for the bird. It got even more tensed, fearing we would try to kill it.
So what did we do? Opening the net directly was dangerous as we would need to step out and manually do it with our hands (and ensure we do not loose our balance and fall from the 7th floor).
Calling fire-force was an overkill for this situation. So we tried to open the window, lure the bird into entering the home and guide it to exit through our balcony. But every attempt we tried to wooing it inside was interpreted as DANGER DANGER DANGER to the poor bird. Even pigeons outside tried to fly up to our level and pull the net outwards but their flight time would exhaust before completing their solitary mission to save its kind.
We eventually figured out a way to open the net using a long rod (curtain rod from storeroom) to unhook the bottom section of the barrier. The bird figured out and finally escaped.
Dad was really glad it all went well and the poor bird did not pass away out of anxiety. But considering my mental state leading to this point, I took it through an entirely different lens
The meaning
We all get stuck like the pigeon in a rut — unable to exit from it. By some series of unfortunate events (like using the duct to enter from above and exit into an apparent trap), we are in a low state and want to escape. Those of our kind (other pigeons), or friends, try to help but they might not be able to given their lack of experience or inability to relate with the situation.
Those who we consider as danger (humans, in this case) might actually be trying to help us indirectly to escape from the situation but due to our state of mind fail to perceive it or accept it.
Help is everywhere — you only need to ask. Of course, you could argue saying the pigeon ain’t as intelligent as you and me, and you would absolutely be right but I would like to think we too are not too intelligent when our mind is stuck in the rut we find ourselves in.
Sometimes we need to open up to those who we fear would judge us — be it our parents, caregivers or strangers. If earnestly sought after, help will not evade you irrespective of how low you feel. You should be willing to accept it and trust it than to trust no one and be emotionally weak to life yourself up.
Now, I feel much better emotionally and am grateful for the support systems that I have around me — something I have been taking for granted so long. I hope you open up to those who love you and ensure you get the best support possible possible when you need it.
Let us make it an oath to never let any pigeon stay stuck in a trap. If you cannot fix it, find someone who might. Ignoring ain’t the way to deal with it — be the one in the trap or the one capable of helping out.
I hope you have an emotionally enriched week ahead :)
