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Do We-ings differ?

Sitting in the balcony with my evening tea is the most awaited part of my day. Observing and taking in everything that nature has to offer. The goodnight kiss of the setting sun as life in Goa slows down until morning, gives a warm, hopeful feeling. The breeze and chirping birds never fail to soothe me. I watch as a flock of Egrets fly towards home, and this reminds me of Flamingos and various other birds that are usually in groups. However I don't fail to remember the solitary sandpiper who enjoy solitude while doing certain things.


Birds have always been a source of admiration. No two birds are the same, while the common crane flies high the cute penguins make excellent swimmers. Flamingos possess the ability to stand on one leg, on the other hand common tailorbirds sew their nest together. Every bird is unique in its own way just like each one of us. Yet we don't see each other's uniqueness with the same acceptance. How is it that we spend long hours understanding the behaviour of different birds, but judge our fellow beings within minutes? Why does condemning others come more easily to us? Why do we tag people as abnormal for being different? when the only normal thing for humans is for them to be distinctive. My trail of thoughts were interrupted by the cawing of the crow. Two more crows join the former, and all three of them sit silently on the branch observing everything around.




The crow whose scientific name is corvus, unlike other birds has always been subjected to hate specifically in India. It's colour and voice are the major reasons why we denigrate them. Turning a blind eye to all the good they possess. Crows are social birds and are seen helping other crows with parenting, they also group together to fight predators. Isn't this similar to how we help and support our loved ones? Apart from being social they are also incredibly smart with an ability to make tools and understand traffic light rules if necessary. It's amazing how they function. According to a study by Rachael Miller, Markus Boeckle, Sarah A. Jelbert, Anna Frohniwieser, Claudia A. F. Wascher, and Nicola S. Clayton these birds are patient and do not fall for instant gratification. And self-control significances complex cognitive abilities. It is something we humans, find difficult to maintain on various occasions.


How is it that we disparage this fascinating bird even after having the ability to read and think for ourselves? Again I was stuck with my initial question, why do we allow ourselves to condemn others? And why do we allow others to condemn us? To decide how we behave? How we talk? How we look? Does our inability to accept others stem from our inability of accepting ourselves? Or is the influence of our milieu on us? To recognize that what we learnt, is wrong or not entirely correct is difficult. One needs to have an independent mind and the ability or willingness to challenge it. To unlearn what we learnt be it an idea, a behaviour, or the way we look at things is a daunting task. But at the end of it one is at greater peace. And that's exactly what we are supposed to do. Learn and evolve every passing day with help from lessons life has to offer us. This is something we really need to think about presently, when there is so much of technological advancement and modernization. Are we modernizing in thought? Are we really evolving? The question remains..



                                                                        


- Alloysha Dias 





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Picture courtesy: Canva










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