Cartoon Seagulls.

Talking about seagulls I am reminded of a cartoon I saw in our Melbourne Herald Sun Newspaper on the day that we arrived at San Remo. It was very coincidental, as there we were observing the seagulls in reality and there was a cartoon of them, high lighting the risks and unknowns of their world.

The Cartoon was a simple long one-framer with, at first glance 4 identical seagulls sitting on 4 identical pylons in the calm water. It was only when I read the single caption that I looked closer at each bird and saw the obvious. All 4 were sitting on the pylons, but only one was sitting with two legs. All the others only had one leg! Hence the caption, “How’d did you get that?”

I wasn’t the Cartoonist but on this subject at least, we were both thinking along the same lines in regard to the dangers and self-induced blindness that we often bring to our busy lives.

Sometimes our lives are just so busy trying to survive that we don’t fully take cognisance of all that is around us. Both of the dangers and of the good things that were, at one time at least, available to all, but now either unknown or, in the case of the seagulls lost legs, no longer available ever to us!

Whether it is because of circumstances, or our own laziness, or the fact that no one showed us any better, some people live lives that bring unwanted consequences. Just like the seagulls live a life where unwanted consequences often occur simply through their desire to feed and live comfortably. So do we too sometimes become too observed in just staying alive that we miss out on a lot that was once available. Sometimes like these seagulls, forever, but with others, it may not be too late if we wake up in time.

Because many risks are taken in our lives often unawares to us, as we are simple too busy just trying to survive as best we can, many dangers and often-unexpected accidents happen because of these desires, sometimes these foolish desires of ours.

Sometimes for this foolishness, we will pay the ultimate price with our lives. At others it may simply be a loss of limb like the seagulls. At other times the price will simply be a mild discomfit or hindrance to us. One so common that we may even become like the one legged seagull in the cartoon, and become shocked and surprised when we finally see things how they are meant to be. And even then, try and make what you are, the norm, and try and make the “real thing” out to be the abnormal thing.

So what can we do? Continue on regardless? No, when we become aware of any and all problems in our lives. We need to, metaphorically if not literally, “Stop and take a deep breath, and survey the situation!”

In some cases, like with lost limbs, there is nothing to do to grow it back, but you can change your ways so as to not lose the other one or worse your life.

If it is still not to late to change, then you can do that. Oh! I know it won’t be easy and you will most likely need help that is not readily available around you, but usually help is available if you are prepared to look. The next main thing is to be realistic and make small steps towards change. Some have been able to change overnight but most of us find it hard at first and need to start with small steps.

The point is not how big your steps are, but rather that you are making them in the first place and then making them in the right direction. So, how are you going? Well we trust, if not, look for help somewhere. Walter