Such a poignant essay that describes a common yet unspoken experience: wonder at something out of the ordinary, and confusion about how to react. I can relate to the moment of joy when a person surprises me with their lack of convention. I'm a garrulous "people person" so I usually express my curiosity and excitement. However, it seems that so many people gloss over moments of potential connection with a real live human, and instinctively avoid eye contact or turn to their phones. Why is this? I like to imagine the man with the dove stumbling over this essay and getting goosebumps as he realizes that he has impacted another man's life without even meaning to.
Great observation. Only speculation, but I imagine it's a combination of several factors: each person's tolerance for uncertainty, capacity for wonder likely mediated by aesthetic sensitivity, and some aspect of transgressing social norms. In a way, to be open to such psychologically rich experience is like allowing ourselves to improv with life as it happens. It's our willingness to be open to magic moments underpinned by a kind of responsive spontaneity.
Absolutely beautiful. I could feel your excitement as you approached the man with the dove. Just delighted by what you did with this experience! ☮️❤️🕊️
I understand, I always have that same reaction. I will say- location matters, in Los Angeles on the Venice beach trail it is not abnormal to see someone biking around with a snake, bird, or otherwise interesting animal. However, I quickly learned to not involve myself because it was usually an opportunity for them to tell me I could take a picture for money.
But how delightful to find this so unexpectedly in a little Houston coffee shop. I wouldn’t have been able to contain myself, but as adults we feel less like we can behave like a polite but curious child and be marveled by this. We fear making someone uncomfortable or inconvenienced, which is probably good… but I think it’s worth testing out the waters when we see it so we can try and recapture that childlike ability to ask questions, stare in awe, and just let ourselves be consumed by such a simple but significant aberration in our day-to-day observations.
Yes, I can see that location matters, never thought about it in that way. I live in a grim northern town in the north of England. Not many parrots here. Mainly scraggy old pigeons :)
I love this so much. I love how you captured that feeling of giddiness of a child with the attempted restraint of an adult trying to respect someone’s space. I don’t know if I could contain myself at such a lovely surprise in the day- especially after learning the simple but still fascinating explanation on how he got the bird.
Your outlet in writing to fill in the blanks gifts us with a beautiful potential explanation. Some part of me wishes I knew truly the background- but your “adult” restraint led to even more childlike wonder, making up stories and explanations for the phenomenon you experienced.
I love your normal writing, this felt different though and it was delightful to read.
Immediately after posting this I reread it and I wonder- do you think before having a toddler or baby you would have experienced this and reacted the same way? Or has she brought out this ability to approach and ask questions?
Such a poignant essay that describes a common yet unspoken experience: wonder at something out of the ordinary, and confusion about how to react. I can relate to the moment of joy when a person surprises me with their lack of convention. I'm a garrulous "people person" so I usually express my curiosity and excitement. However, it seems that so many people gloss over moments of potential connection with a real live human, and instinctively avoid eye contact or turn to their phones. Why is this? I like to imagine the man with the dove stumbling over this essay and getting goosebumps as he realizes that he has impacted another man's life without even meaning to.
Great observation. Only speculation, but I imagine it's a combination of several factors: each person's tolerance for uncertainty, capacity for wonder likely mediated by aesthetic sensitivity, and some aspect of transgressing social norms. In a way, to be open to such psychologically rich experience is like allowing ourselves to improv with life as it happens. It's our willingness to be open to magic moments underpinned by a kind of responsive spontaneity.
Absolutely beautiful. I could feel your excitement as you approached the man with the dove. Just delighted by what you did with this experience! ☮️❤️🕊️
I love seeing unexpected things like this. It's like a flash of colour in an otherwise "usual" landscape.
I have seen a guy walk past our house with a parrot on his shoulder once. It kind of blew my mind :)
It's the way people act all normal around strange things that always surprises me. I also always try to act like nothing is happening...no idea why :)
I understand, I always have that same reaction. I will say- location matters, in Los Angeles on the Venice beach trail it is not abnormal to see someone biking around with a snake, bird, or otherwise interesting animal. However, I quickly learned to not involve myself because it was usually an opportunity for them to tell me I could take a picture for money.
But how delightful to find this so unexpectedly in a little Houston coffee shop. I wouldn’t have been able to contain myself, but as adults we feel less like we can behave like a polite but curious child and be marveled by this. We fear making someone uncomfortable or inconvenienced, which is probably good… but I think it’s worth testing out the waters when we see it so we can try and recapture that childlike ability to ask questions, stare in awe, and just let ourselves be consumed by such a simple but significant aberration in our day-to-day observations.
Yes, I can see that location matters, never thought about it in that way. I live in a grim northern town in the north of England. Not many parrots here. Mainly scraggy old pigeons :)
Beautiful!
I love this so much. I love how you captured that feeling of giddiness of a child with the attempted restraint of an adult trying to respect someone’s space. I don’t know if I could contain myself at such a lovely surprise in the day- especially after learning the simple but still fascinating explanation on how he got the bird.
Your outlet in writing to fill in the blanks gifts us with a beautiful potential explanation. Some part of me wishes I knew truly the background- but your “adult” restraint led to even more childlike wonder, making up stories and explanations for the phenomenon you experienced.
I love your normal writing, this felt different though and it was delightful to read.
Immediately after posting this I reread it and I wonder- do you think before having a toddler or baby you would have experienced this and reacted the same way? Or has she brought out this ability to approach and ask questions?