A Love/Hate Relationship

Birds are can be such beautiful creatures, and there is nothing like walking outside in the morning (or anytime of day really) and hearing a bird singing. While they are beautiful, I have always read and heard that birds are truly dirty creatures that carry all kinds of disease.

The hate part of my relationship with birds began when I was in late elementary school or early middle school. If this has ever happened to you, you know how incredibly disgusting it can be. When I was a kid, we used to go camping in Fun Valley, CO. It was this really neat place that was somewhat closed off unless you had a parking permit to get into the camp. Because it was closed off, we kids could run around all day and our parents could enjoy time without us. There was a stream or river going through the camp where you could fish or go tubing. They had miniature golf, horseback riding, and other things to do as well. It was a really fun place to go on vacation. One year, I was walking across a bridge with my mom and dad when I felt something hit my head. I told my mom that I thought a bird had pooped on my head. She told me that I must be wrong and that it was most likely a raindrop. So I asked her to look at my head. Right where my hair was parted from my bangs, I had bird poop on my head. Thankfully, there were showers at this camp so I was able to wash my hair.

Even though it had happened before, I was still surprised by this next event. The year after I graduated from college, I went home for Mother’s Day. My mom and I were out on a Friday afternoon running errands. We had just finished looking around at Michael’s, when we were getting into her minivan. After I had opened my door and was getting into the car, I again thought I bird had pooped on me. This time it landed IN my ear! I showed my mom who thankfully had baby wipes in her car. I must say however, that using a baby wipe to get bird poop out of one’s ear does not make the ear nearly clean enough. This has been the most disgusting of the bird poop incidents thus far.

And yet again...After M and I were married, I went to church one Sunday without him. I can’t remember why. It was a nice spring or summer day. As I was walking from my car to the sanctuary, bird poop landed between my foot and my sandal. I could not get to the women’s restroom quick enough. Thankfully, it did not land in any crevasses like in situation #2.

I hope in this case the third time is the charm. I feel like I have certainly had my fair share, don’t you agree? Maybe after writing this, I should walk around with the protection of an umbrella or something.