Seagulls at San Remo.

When we stopped over at San Remo on our way to Cowes, it was around lunchtime so we bought some fish and chips there and as it was a little windy and on the cool side, we ate them in the car. It was very nice and even though I only bought a single serve of chips for both of us, there was more than enough with a few scraps left over that we couldn’t finish off.

Despite the cold weather, there was a family bravely braving the elements and having a picnic at one of the tables in the park along the foreshore nearby. As well as braving the elements, hey were also braving the seagulls flocking around them in the hope of stealing a feed. So taking pity on this family, I started throwing small bits of our leftover chips and scraps towards the seagulls. I am not a good distance thrower and it was around 40 metres to the table, yet it didn’t take long before some of them noticed and a few started drifting our way. Before very long indeed we soon had about 50 or 60 there. (No! I did not/could not count them properly!)

Watching these birds in operation was a lesson on life itself. Some were very brave and flew in very close and grabbed what they could. A couple even grabbing at them out of my hand while still in flight because they thought I was too slow.

Others came so far and no further, and got the odd bits and pieces that occasionally reached them. Yet others hung right back at the edges & got nothing or next to nothing other than being pushed and shoved around by the other birds.

Those who came real close got the most food but also stood the most risk of danger. Those who hung back, missed out almost altogether, yet still got pushed and shoved around for their just being there. Whilst those who took the middle action still got fed. True they did not get as much as the closer ones, but at the same time, they were less exposed to possible and probable danger. (And I am not talking about the dangers of eating too many polyunsaturated fats from the chips either!)

This led me to thinking about which category I fitted in to. I like to think I fit best into the middle action grouping. That while I am prepared to take some risks, I am also not that keen to take too many in the long run.

What about you? Which seagull are you? One who is too timid to try and therefore usually missing out on most things, yet still getting knocked about by life?

Or are you one who is too greedy for your own good? One who is well fed, but maybe too well fed to appreciate the dangers around you and ultimately too fat or slow to escape when danger arises like dogs, cats, other birds or even cars?

Or are you the semi-cautious one? Getting fed and doing okay, yet not so timid that you hang back and basically starve. Nor so greedy that you rush foolishly and sometimes dangerously too close and pay the consequences? (Sometimes the ultimate consequence!) I for one don’t know what category is really the best, but I know what works for me. What about you?