Sparrow

Friends,

There was a job fair in the city, about two hours from where I live, and I went there two days ago. They were accommodating and promising, and when they said I'll hear from them "tomorrow" (meaning, yesterday) and they didn't, well, I just prayed for God's will.

The sparrow always has been to me a symbol of God's providence, because of Jesus' sayings that birds don't worry about food because God in Heaven feeds them.

Three days ago, late afternoon, I found a sparrow hopping on the ground, not flying, just going from one potted plant to another. I didn't think much about it, and Dana was delighted to watch it, until to our horror we saw it hopping towards the gate. We feared if it gets out it might get run over, or be caught by an alley cat!

After several attempts I managed to get it gently in my hands, and then I realized it was too young, it cannot fly, the tail is too short. I put her in a birdcage. Dana was ecstatic. A pet! A pet! "What shall we call him?"

Maya is the Filipino word for sparrow, but Dana liked "Sparrow" so Sparrow it is.

We bought birdseed the next day and realized it was too young to eat it. Since Sparrow arrived into our lives, we noticed more birds have settled in the trees. Ah! They must be Sparrow's parents or family, looking for him. True enough, there'd be one adult sparrow who would get some bird seed, then put it in Sparrow's open mouth.

I thought if I got that day job I might feel like that sparrow in the cage, trapped, unable to have time for my art, for writing, for rehearsals and shows. I expect a bigger bird (the company, my employer) to feed me. I felt a pang of despair.

Dana knew that in a week's time, when Sparrow is better we'll set him free. We've made some attempts of letting him out of his cage, but still he couldn't fly.

Earlier tonight while I was at my desk and Dana was doing homework we heard the cage crash. I rushed outside and found a cat poised to strike. I quickly shooed it away. Poor terrified bird. The cage was upside down, the gate was open, the cat could have easily reached inside! Dana was inconsolable for a bit. She thought she had lost her pet!

I replaced the cage on a table outside, and surrounded it with boxes. Then I placed things that would make a clattering noise against the boxes: umbrellas, hangers, sticks... should a cat try to make another pounce. Can I blame the cat? Mother Nature intended cats to be predators, and they're very good ones at that. I left a bowl of food for the cat in case it returns.

Sparrow may not understand why we keep him caged right now, but when his wings are better, we'll let him free. Jesus said, "You are even more precious to God than a beautiful bird. If God looks after them, of course He will look after you."