Valuable lesson

The juveniles

Today I learned a valuable lesson from the 3 juvenile bulbuls that I planned to release. Capturing them to be transported to the release site was the crucial step. Mojo the youngest and runt of the brood is very attached to me so he flew onto my arm as usual and I caught him and placed him in the transfer cage. Catching no. 2 was more difficult. It took me 35 minutes chasing in my little office to finally exhaust him and caught him.  It was distressing for him but the irony is if he wanted to be released into the great outdoors, he must first be captured.

The 3rd one, the alpha of the brood, was impossible to catch. He was too quick and smart, hiding under cupboards and tables. I gave up. I brought Mojo and the other one and walked 150 m to Damascus Gate Park where I released them. They were so happy to fly free into the great space ... with lots of greenery and water and food.

But for the alpha bird, it preferred freedom in my tiny office to losing this freedom for a while in order to gain the great outdoors. Preferring to fly 10 feet back and forth, he doesn't realise that once caught, he will enjoy flight with no boundaries. So now he's enjoying his little victory ... not knowing what he missed. 

So sometimes we just need to lose in order to gain. To let go and surrender what we like, in order to receive a greater prize. We may not like giving up but if we only knew what's waiting for us if we do.