Stories of Kindness from Around the World

My 24 Hours With Hope


--by liliana, posted Jul 7, 2007

Yesterday, was a beautiful Saturday morning, Memorial Day Weekend in New Jersey.   My partner and I decided to invite our friends for an all Day BBQ, cocktails, food and some volleyball.  In the summers, we love to have lots of people visit us.

While I was in our patio, setting up the volleyball net, I saw this little tiny newborn bird that appeared to have just fallen from a huge tree.  I was amazed at how tiny he was! He was not moving at all, but his little eyes were open  and looking all around.   So I grabbed him and he just stayed there in my hand and opened his mouth really wide. :)   "Oh yes, he's hungry," I said to myself.   I went inside the house, and gave him water with a little baby pump and tiny pieces of bread. He ate it all.

Although I couldn't see any physical signs of injury, it was obvious that he was hurt. People started to come over, and music started to take up the whole block, but I was taking care of the bird, hour after hour. I placed a winter scarf in the patio, under a tree, with a water bowl and some bread, but it seemed like he couldn't see, or maybe he was just a baby and still needed to be fed. My partner made fun of "my new pet" but I kept keeping my eye on the guests, the food, the party and my little bird. I just wanted him to get better and reunite with his parents.  Some hours later, I heard that one of the kids hit the bird with a ball raquet.  I was FURIOUS! but fortunately, the bird survived.

Night time came, and I went to the patio with a flashlight, and he had moved away from the scarf. I saw a couple of cats walking around, so I decided to take him in the house, feed him again, and just see how he wakes up. This morning, he was in front of the couch, and as soon as he felt my hand on his little head, he opened his mouth so wide, it was the cutest thing ever!!! I havent been so touched for months.

I decided to go to the pet store and get him a birdcage, some real food and I took him with me in the car. He was in the passenger's seat, but it amazed me how the whole way he would look outside the window and then look for me.  I literally felt like he was staring at me. The whole way there, I spoke to him and told him that he was meant to fly and be free, not to be left behind or hurt by humans.  And I told him that I would do everything possible to cure him and he would be flying in days. 

I named him HOPE.

I placed him in the cage and he started eating better.  He drank some more water, and kept asking for more.   Hours later, my boyfriend and I decided to go 4 a ride on our motorcycles. So I told Hope, I would be back.  He ate a little more, and looked better, so I was quite certain that the recovery was going great!

When I got back from riding, I rapidly went to him, and he was dead. He was lying there, with his little eyes still open. It killed me inside.

I know it is a bird I met just 24 hours ago, but he looked at me, and I looked at him, and I fell in love. I am not a bird person, but I do love animals. And losing Hope, hurted.  I cried, and took him down to the patio where I found him, under the tree. 

I can't explain how it felt, but his presence in my life for those 24 hours were great. He made me melt with just one look!  He was so tiny, so alive in a way when he wanted food, he would try to move around and fly and couldn't and maybe in a way I felt the same way with my life. When you know you are supposed to be flying high and you feel stuck and the world keeps going at 100 miles per hour and you just want to breath a little and have a helping hand to give you some Hope that things will be better tommorrow. 

I just found this website, by coincidence, and I needed to sign up and write this. I don't know who will read it, who will understand where this story comes from, or why I feel this way about a little bird that 2 days ago was not in my life, but I felt so much warmth when I had him in my hands, so fragile, grasping for a warm and quiet spot. So, when I saw this website and read so many stories from people and their acts of kindness it made me write my Saturday's story. I did not do a kind act for Hope -- he did it for me!

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Readers Comments

keepsmiling wrote: What a story..It really made my day..
May god bless you..You have done something great..
afriendlysmile wrote: Hi liliana
You gave that little bird so much comfort in its short life by bonding with it,and giving it care and warmth.

Thank you for being such a wonderful kind person.
afriendlysmile.
AURELIA wrote: Very Touching.Some of us have that nurturing quality and I hope you use yours to touch many more in need. God Bless. ~Aurelia
liliana wrote: It's me, Liliana. Thank you for your comments. I learned something new today and wanted to share it with you guys. My father grew up in a farm, and he explained to me today that Hope did not fall from the tree, most probably he was sick or disabled when he was born, because the parents always push the bird out from the nest, because they know he will die. I did not know that!! Incredible how nature is. That is why no birds came around the birdcage looking for him, and I found that so weird. At least he was not alone...
brighteyes wrote: Thanks so much for sharing your story and for your warm, caring, compassionate heart.....I am a nature and animal lover and am so glad you were there for Hope. The love and comfort you gave that little precious bird was the last thing he knew before he passed on and what a great way to ascend ..in love!
YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE!
Smiles from Brighteyes ;)
jan2008 wrote: Sorry your little bird died but you named him Hope and for a little while you gave him Hope. So kind of you to take care of him.
anneclark wrote: Today and forever your "Hope" does fly. Higher and happier than you will ever know. :)
tenderheart wrote: what a great story. Thanks for sharing.:) continue being compassionate to others as well as loving animals. by the way I agree with Brighteyes. sweet. kudos for you.
Babygirl wrote: I'm sorry to hear about your friend and I wish there was something I could say to ease the pain but love and loss are all a part of life and even though it may have been a short time by our standards it was a life time of love for little hope, which is all a little lost soul needs when they are lost and alone. Just please be aware of the true gift he helped you realize that you have and that is the capability to reach out to another and care, it's a rare and precious gift that we all have but some see as a weakness, when in all actuallity it is the greatest strength we all express. Once again, I send my condolences for Little Hope but let the love you felt from him grow within you and flurish. You can change the world if only one little bird at a time.
Smiles
liliana wrote: Thank you guys! And thank you babygirl for that last sentence i loved " You can change the world if only one little bird at a time"... thanks i feel so much better now.

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