Pigeons.

I love Pigeons.

Wherever we roam upon this world of ours, we are likely to come across intermittent collections of our feathered cousins - they live everywhere, and spread like wildfire. The older I become, the more I find myself happily looking on as they go about their daily business, as I quiet think to myself - 'I love Pigeons.'

The majority of living creatures on the planet, in general, keep a wide distance from the human race. In most instances, it is somewhat a wise move on their part. While we are a wonderful, complex, and quite extraordinary species, we also carry ruthless, driven, biological tenancies to pretty much use and abuse all the resources of this world, at our disposal - animals being one of many examples. We tend to either kill them, eat them, or nurture them - the latter being a choice of a developed level of empathy... which, as incredible as it is, will, ninety-nine percent of the time, lose out to a need to continue our personal existence; a source of both tremendous strength, yet destructive weakness, for our species.

I am not someone who personally believes human life carries greater value over other living organisms; I view anything which lives as attaining equal value - a Lion, Donkey, Fly, even plants and trees. They all - much like the human race, live upon Earth. And they all - just like me and you, are embarking upon a journey through this planet; a journey related to each and every creature, not purely for the sake of human endeavor.

Pigeons, however, are an entirely different concept. They treat human beings exactly the same way human beings, in general, treat virtually every other organism of the animal kingdom. There is a confidence, perhaps even an arrogance about their stride - an attitude which conveys a message in a direct language of silence, to the human race... 'Screw you, humans. If I wanna live in your gutters, crap on your heads and streets, and eat your discarded food, then I bloody well will. I'm a Pigeon - my reality, my rules!

They openly walk around crowded shopping centers, parks, buildings, you name a place, they are there.  Next time you venture into in a busy outdoor area, look around; I guarantee you, the only animal you will see anywhere near a man, woman, or child - is a Pigeon. It is also a note how all children tend to love Pigeons; nature compels them to, it is only the adults of the world, who teach them otherwise. Sure they spread disease, but only to humans. Humans are in many ways a disease for pretty much every insect ever existed. I doubt cars are particularly well regarded in the communities of Hedgehogs, Rabbits, and Cats - much less our pollution, to any bird in the sky.

In essence, the Pigeon is the human of the skies - much akin to the omnivorous Rat being the human of the underworld. Expect in both instance of their respective species, carrying a mass abundance of genetically confident members, who have not - unlike the human race, suffered an enforced conditioning by societies of emasculation, for a perceived greater good prognosis. They are the bully bird, who self regulate through our discarded remains, work together, yet fight alone, and can fly away in a moment, should instinct beckon them to do so.

To some, they are a vermin. To others, a nuisance. For me, they are rebels, they are rogues. They do what they want, as they please, how they like, and when they like. And, as is the reality of all universally despised elements of societies (With the exception of traffic wardens - no one likes them), they are another beautiful, yet misunderstood creature of God's universal Earth.

While we could learn so much from them, I doubt we ever will. Conversely, they will never stop learning from us. I only wish my shoulders, contained wings of their own...

Lee.