06/08/2026
28 (!!!!!) 🪶🧸🪺🕯️🕰️☁️☔️☕️🤍
One of my favorite things to do as of late is throw back my head and dramatically sigh, “I’m sooo misunderstooood,” towards to the popcorn ceiling of our home. Maybe I’m being serious, maybe I’m a thespian at heart— who knows? This might be the most INFJ thing about me haha. This is all to say— my current season of life feels a lot like the pigeon, one of the arguably most misunderstood creatures of our modern world.
On our latest trip to the big city, I felt something deep when I saw a one-footed pigeon jumping down the stairs towards a crumb. I felt the same depth of emotion when I came across a photo of a pigeon who stood proudly next to its egg and “nest,” which was a sad, useless tangle of a few twigs. Domesticated creatures that were once in close partnership with people, pigeons were left behind by humanity to fend for themselves. They were once with, and now, they are without. However, because of their own great resilience and adaptability, they were able to keep going on for generations to come.
On my last birthday, I was with, and today, I am without. A year ago, my sister stood beside me on my front porch as we smiled for one of our last photos together. Today, I take a photo with a wind chime that was gifted to me to remember her by. As Chad took my photo this year, I noticed a small, rock-shaped creature on the gravel behind him. As I got closer, I realized it was a baby mourning dove. (If you didn’t know, all doves are pigeons— same thing!) In this raw season of mourning, as I held a pigeon-themed cake drenched in symbolism and meaning, I closely looked at this baby bird and was reminded that with death comes life. With mourning comes dancing. What an intentional, compassionate, and gentle communicator our Creator is.
I spent half of 27 with a sister and the other half as an only child. 28 and beyond will forever be years as an only child, and that’s okay. The pigeons figured out how to adapt and persevere, and I know I will, too. My emotions might look like that sad, couple-of-twigs pigeon nest for a bit, but I’ll stand proudly next to it, because it’s honest, and it’s me giving it my best.
