Namaste

It's time for Flow with my College Station buddies and I can't wait. I open the door over the Snake to let in a nice, cool breeze. I'm a hot mess, per pandemic usual, but who cares. I have the cover pulled over my webcam, as I move my computer up and down, depending on position — standing, downward dog, flat on our backs. 

 

We've wrapped up tai chi, balance, a few other little details, we're about three quarters of the way through our workout. George W the cat runs past, dropping something on the kitchen floor. I get up to see what he has, see if he knocked something off our cabinet. It's a bird, a dang little bird, blinking little bird. It's alive, yes!!! Gently lifting the little fella, thinking I'll set him free, he suddenly takes off, flying across my living room. Shoot. George the fast cat hops up on our windowsill where little birdie landed, grabs the little thing in his mouth. NO GEORGE!!! Oh no... I'm hoping he hasn't bitten down, hard. Trying to leverage a cat's jaw can be risky. I was able to free little bird. 

 

I want to get back to our workout. Please little bird, be okay, fly away, hurry. I carefully place him on our balcony. He just sits, doesn't even attempt to lift a wing. No darlin', don't sit, fly away before he eats you. I straightened his tiny wing. He sits there, breathing heavily, blinking. My thoughts are colorful. As I'm coaxing him to fly, something runs by, peripheral vision tells me. MAGGIE ROSE!!! No NO NOOO. She never goes outside without a collar and GPS, and usually won't go near the gate, but in the middle of chaos, the gate's knocked over, Maggie panics at the cluster in our living room, and she isn't coming back upstairs. Fly birdie fly, please. MAGGIE ROSE get up here, I quietly scream. She isn't riding crazy train, she tells me. No way. 

 

Fly little bird please, I stroke his pitiful feathers, and finally, I guess he catches his breath, he flies out towards the Snake. 

 

Thank you. 

 

Maggie Rose, come on honey, I say in my sweetest voice. She briefly glances my way to say oh heck no. Time to use my Darth Vader voice, MAGGIE ROSE. GET. UP. HERE. Umm, I don't think so, she tells me, as a blank stare covers her sweet face. 

 

I pull on mud boots, wearing pajama pants and an Army tee, hair in a messed-up pineapple, and head downstairs to retrieve my little dog. Once I reach the lower level, the little spoiled thing runs right up to me, giving me sugars. 

 

Have mercy.

 

I return to our workout to see hip raises and a return to tai chi. 

 

The circle of life is painful to watch, though I fully understand the process. I'm grateful George didn't eat the helpless bird, especially in front of me. He didn't seem happy though, I can tell you that. 

 

Feathers everywhere, I lie flat, ready for my favorite part of Flow, relaxation. 

 

Namaste.