It’s a Spanish Summer. The sun is bright and shinning over the city of Barcelona. Sitting and having a coffee near the pier.In a world where most people are looking down at the various electronic gadgets they own, I feel ancient. I am sitting and looking at the sparkling water, people walking past me, children running around throwing a tantrum or just playing by themselves. I love watching life all around me, observing living beings around me in all forms. I am a passionate people watcher, love to wonder what people are thinking ? How they live? Are they happy? What are their aspirations and dreams in life? Do they have enough of love in their lives?

Beautiful children toddlers, babies are the highlights of my day. I love their gurgles and cooing. The toddlers running around , stumbling and finding their balance. They pick themselves up so easily after a fall. They try to do a simple thing over and over again, the way they think is the best, putting the wrong side of a spoon in their mouth. Spilling food while they are learning ,they are continuously mastering their own eye ,hand and mouth coordination.

Mistakes and failures are easily forgotten and forgiven in their tiny little heads , which only goes to show how brave hearted they are. The way their innocence radiates from within they have very few perceptions of fear and restrictions. They could smile at a stranger, ignore the pleas of a parent not realise that they are being admonished.

I relate to the freedom of being liberated as a child to that of a bird soaring the skies. Light and agile they just lift themselves up breaking away from the force of gravity. The other living beings look up to them always and aspire cruising the skies. My attention is diverted to the birds around me, the sea gulls and the pigeons.

The pigeons come sweeping down from the sky rest on the ground to pick up food. I am sitting in the open waiting for my coffee in a coffee shop. The pigeons ignore me and my table ,they prefer to visit the unattended tables which has left over food crumbs scattered on them. Happy to have them around. Then suddenly one pigeon perches itself on my table. I speak to him in my mind” I don’t have anything for you” . I don’t move or make a noise, scared I would drive the pigeon away.

I look at a distant signage reading Mare Magnum so in my mind I have christened this pigeon “Mare”. Mare sits across me on top of the table like a cool cucumber not disturbed by the fact that there is nothing to pick on from my table . He doesn’t seem that excited to have me as company like I appreciate his presence around me. I exist for Mare, that’s all.

Mare came to catch a few minutes of break from flying. Now Mare stands on one leg on my table. The other leg , he lifts up as if he were flaunting it. That leg has two missing claws. There is bulge of flesh instead, on it. I feel sorry for Mare, but Mare doesn’t seem to care.The attitude that he conveys to me is” Don’t bother girl, I am fine. You live your life to its fullest and enjoy your coffee for now. Keep flying, let your dreams and aspiration be equivalent to soaring the skies.Stop briefly when you need to, rest your weary spirits and then take off again chasing your dreams.

“Gracias” I whispered to Mare. Mare glances at me one last time and says ” Buenos Noches” meaning, Good evening in Spanish and flies away.