週日 8月 08, 2004 2:10 pm
當黎明的第一道署光畫破沉寂的天空時，屋外傳來一陣陣微弱的鳥叫聲。我循著聲源躡手躡腳的推開後門，雙腳輕緩的踩過柔軟的青草坪，就在後院的灌木叢邊，發現到一隻體態優雅，棕色羽毛夾雜些許粉紅的新生小鴿子。
牠能夠振翅跳躍，卻無法飛離地面，看起來外表並沒有受傷。依我判斷，牠似乎剛離開巢穴不久。我幾度嘗試靠近牠，試圖讓牠了解我的善意。但是，我並不想搬動牠，我想牠的父母親，不久應該會焦急的回來找尋。更不想去碰觸牠或處理牠的狀況，以免因此導致牠的父母親不敢過來確認牠。
我僅回屋內，抓了把種子灑在牠的附近，並且放了一小碗的水。我想用最自然的方法，給牠些許的幫忙就好。牠的生命此刻看起來是如此的脆弱而珍貴。心中不免暗自竊喜，牠是被我發現的唷！因為擁有能力助人，是多麼令人高興的事啊！
第二天清晨，我再度回到現場觀察牠。牠已移動到另一邊的矮樹叢的陰影底下。牠幾乎花很多的時間在閉目養神，偶爾四處走動覓食。因為牠早已把昨天的種子啄光。我再度回屋內拿食物過來補充，依我看，此刻牠想藉由自己的能力走回家中，似乎是一件遙不可及的事。我僅能在心中默默祈禱，希望昨夜牠的父母親，曾經回來看過牠或試圖帶牠回去。從牠落寞的神情看來，應該是非常想念牠的家人。但我不認為待在後院對牠而言是危險的環境。因為以前這兒常出現麻雀、兔子以及一些不知名的小鳥。我希望牠能夠越來越茁壯！
到了下午，天空突然烏雲密佈。在我尚未到家之前，竟下起一陣午後雷陣雨。下班途中，一路懷著一顆忐忑不安的心！直抵家門，立刻飛奔至後院。看到牠恐懼的眼神，濡濕的翅膀，瑟縮在被洪水肆虐過的灌木叢邊。我不忍地輕輕將牠捧在手心，帶回屋內。立刻找了個紙箱，裡頭放置了碎報紙和松針，那些松針是以前飼養寵物遺留下來的，沒想到這次剛好可以派上用場。我為牠佈置了一個臨時避難所，並拿出吹風機，以最溫和的暖風，幫牠把溼透的羽毛吹乾。牠似乎又再度喜歡上自己，我給了牠一些食物和水，並把牠安置在屋內最安靜的角落。在我臨睡前一刻，我們彼此凝視對望。似乎可以深深感受到牠潛在的抑鬱情緒，沮喪的表情夾雜著殘留幽幽的落寞眼神！我的心中隱隱傳來鮮明的聲音：「不用多久！不用多久！我將助你展翅飛翔！我將助你平安回航！」
第三天，我讓牠在屋內自由走動，原本想帶牠到後院透透氣。但那善變的天空，今晨又下了一場雷陣雨。此刻，牠似乎蠻鎮定的，一點兒也不畏懼我的靠近。這反倒讓我有些憂慮！除非換水和食物，我儘量不去打擾牠。我不希望牠因為我的過度照顧，撤除了對人類的心防！為了牠未來的安全起見，我認為應該培養牠適度的警覺性！我突然感覺到有些悲傷和沮喪，因為我所做的和我心中殷切期盼的，竟然背道而馳！我多麼希望將牠擁入懷中！但是我拒絕了我的自私！我認為我的抉擇是一件令人欣慰的事！
第四天，屋外的陽光格外燦爛。牠的翅膀已經不再持續脫毛，我看出牠心中的殷切的渴望！我連紙箱一起搬到屋外，試圖讓牠離開！起初，牠站著一動也不動，只是用好奇的眼神四處張望，隔了一段時間，牠突然回頭對我凝望，似乎想跟我說：「再見」；似乎想跟我說：「謝謝」！最後，牠毫不費力的振翅高飛，迎向蔚藍的天空，從此不再回望！牠的背影逐漸模糊、逐漸消失在林梢！
此刻，心中夾雜著高興和悲傷的複雜情緒，因為我不知道未來牠會面對什麼樣的挫折和環境？我想像牠此刻是何等快樂的和家人幸福的團聚！看著晴朗的天空！我覺得牠的未來會更好！
---幸運草翻譯網友Doogle的日記,並作局部改寫！
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004/08/03 Yesterday, Sunday, was a great day. The Dove has been anxious and flapping her wings since the morning. I knew what she wanted. I brought the box to the backyard and let her out. She stood still but curiously looking everywhere for a long time. Suddenly one look at me, seemingly to say "goodbye and thanks", she span her wings in one effortless try and flew up in the air. She never landed again. She became smaller and smaller. Few seconds later she dissappear into the distant trees. I felt mix of happy and sad. I imagined her reunited with her family and how happy her parents are to see her. I really don't know what will happen to her. Looking at the clear blue sky, somehow I felt she will be fine.
2004/07/29 I kept the Dove in the house today. I wanted to let her out but the weather recently has been very unpredicatable. It rained briefly this morning. She seems to be calmer today and not as scared of me. That worrys me a little. I didn't want to disturb her except for changing food and water. I don't want her to take guard off of human. I feel she needs to be afraid of human for her future safety. I feel sad and frustrating because what I really want to do is the opposite, to hold and care her. I resist my selfishness. It will all be worth it when she flies away.
2004/07/28 There was continuous pouring rain this afternoon. I thought and worry about the Dove in backyard before I came home. Saw her scared, wet, shivering in an almost flooded bushes, I brought her inside the house. Used a old printer box with newspaper at bottom and plenty of shreded pine chips that previous pet hamster used, I gave her a new temp home. Dry her with a dry blower under low heat (high heat's noise scares her) and she finally looks like herself again. I gather her some food and water and left her in a quiet corner of the house. For a brief moment before I left her alone, we met eye to eye. I seemed to feel her emotion. She seemed desperate, sacred, and lost. "Soon. Little bird. Soon, I will help you span your wings and fly back to your home and family."
2004/07/27 I went back to check on the bird today. She moved to a small area of bushes under a shade. She spends most of time resting. Now and then she would walked around looking for worm/food. She finished the seeds from yesterday. I replenished it. It's impossible for her to get back home. I hope her parents visited her or will visit her. I am sure she missed them. I don't think there is real danger in the backyard for her. In the past I only seen squarrels, rabbits and small birds. Since yesterday I have put out extra food for the squarrels and other birds. I hope she grows stronger everyday.
2004/07/26 While strolling in the backyard in the evening, I discovered a bird on grass. A baby Mourning Dove. An elegant, medium size pinkish brown dove. She must have fell off her nest. She wasn't injured and she didn't wanted to be handled. She was able to flap her wings and jump but can't fly. I let her know I mean no harm. I didn't move her because I thought her parents will be looking for her. I didn't want to handle her because I was afraid human scent may prevent her parents from recongnizing her. I spread some seeds besides her and left a small bowl of water. Nature only needs a little help from us. Watching her, I feel the fragility and precious of life. I feel grateful and fortunate for being me. Having the ability to help is something to be grateful for.
牠能夠振翅跳躍，卻無法飛離地面，看起來外表並沒有受傷。依我判斷，牠似乎剛離開巢穴不久。我幾度嘗試靠近牠，試圖讓牠了解我的善意。但是，我並不想搬動牠，我想牠的父母親，不久應該會焦急的回來找尋。更不想去碰觸牠或處理牠的狀況，以免因此導致牠的父母親不敢過來確認牠。
我僅回屋內，抓了把種子灑在牠的附近，並且放了一小碗的水。我想用最自然的方法，給牠些許的幫忙就好。牠的生命此刻看起來是如此的脆弱而珍貴。心中不免暗自竊喜，牠是被我發現的唷！因為擁有能力助人，是多麼令人高興的事啊！
第二天清晨，我再度回到現場觀察牠。牠已移動到另一邊的矮樹叢的陰影底下。牠幾乎花很多的時間在閉目養神，偶爾四處走動覓食。因為牠早已把昨天的種子啄光。我再度回屋內拿食物過來補充，依我看，此刻牠想藉由自己的能力走回家中，似乎是一件遙不可及的事。我僅能在心中默默祈禱，希望昨夜牠的父母親，曾經回來看過牠或試圖帶牠回去。從牠落寞的神情看來，應該是非常想念牠的家人。但我不認為待在後院對牠而言是危險的環境。因為以前這兒常出現麻雀、兔子以及一些不知名的小鳥。我希望牠能夠越來越茁壯！
到了下午，天空突然烏雲密佈。在我尚未到家之前，竟下起一陣午後雷陣雨。下班途中，一路懷著一顆忐忑不安的心！直抵家門，立刻飛奔至後院。看到牠恐懼的眼神，濡濕的翅膀，瑟縮在被洪水肆虐過的灌木叢邊。我不忍地輕輕將牠捧在手心，帶回屋內。立刻找了個紙箱，裡頭放置了碎報紙和松針，那些松針是以前飼養寵物遺留下來的，沒想到這次剛好可以派上用場。我為牠佈置了一個臨時避難所，並拿出吹風機，以最溫和的暖風，幫牠把溼透的羽毛吹乾。牠似乎又再度喜歡上自己，我給了牠一些食物和水，並把牠安置在屋內最安靜的角落。在我臨睡前一刻，我們彼此凝視對望。似乎可以深深感受到牠潛在的抑鬱情緒，沮喪的表情夾雜著殘留幽幽的落寞眼神！我的心中隱隱傳來鮮明的聲音：「不用多久！不用多久！我將助你展翅飛翔！我將助你平安回航！」
第三天，我讓牠在屋內自由走動，原本想帶牠到後院透透氣。但那善變的天空，今晨又下了一場雷陣雨。此刻，牠似乎蠻鎮定的，一點兒也不畏懼我的靠近。這反倒讓我有些憂慮！除非換水和食物，我儘量不去打擾牠。我不希望牠因為我的過度照顧，撤除了對人類的心防！為了牠未來的安全起見，我認為應該培養牠適度的警覺性！我突然感覺到有些悲傷和沮喪，因為我所做的和我心中殷切期盼的，竟然背道而馳！我多麼希望將牠擁入懷中！但是我拒絕了我的自私！我認為我的抉擇是一件令人欣慰的事！
第四天，屋外的陽光格外燦爛。牠的翅膀已經不再持續脫毛，我看出牠心中的殷切的渴望！我連紙箱一起搬到屋外，試圖讓牠離開！起初，牠站著一動也不動，只是用好奇的眼神四處張望，隔了一段時間，牠突然回頭對我凝望，似乎想跟我說：「再見」；似乎想跟我說：「謝謝」！最後，牠毫不費力的振翅高飛，迎向蔚藍的天空，從此不再回望！牠的背影逐漸模糊、逐漸消失在林梢！
此刻，心中夾雜著高興和悲傷的複雜情緒，因為我不知道未來牠會面對什麼樣的挫折和環境？我想像牠此刻是何等快樂的和家人幸福的團聚！看著晴朗的天空！我覺得牠的未來會更好！
---幸運草翻譯網友Doogle的日記,並作局部改寫！
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004/08/03 Yesterday, Sunday, was a great day. The Dove has been anxious and flapping her wings since the morning. I knew what she wanted. I brought the box to the backyard and let her out. She stood still but curiously looking everywhere for a long time. Suddenly one look at me, seemingly to say "goodbye and thanks", she span her wings in one effortless try and flew up in the air. She never landed again. She became smaller and smaller. Few seconds later she dissappear into the distant trees. I felt mix of happy and sad. I imagined her reunited with her family and how happy her parents are to see her. I really don't know what will happen to her. Looking at the clear blue sky, somehow I felt she will be fine.
2004/07/29 I kept the Dove in the house today. I wanted to let her out but the weather recently has been very unpredicatable. It rained briefly this morning. She seems to be calmer today and not as scared of me. That worrys me a little. I didn't want to disturb her except for changing food and water. I don't want her to take guard off of human. I feel she needs to be afraid of human for her future safety. I feel sad and frustrating because what I really want to do is the opposite, to hold and care her. I resist my selfishness. It will all be worth it when she flies away.
2004/07/28 There was continuous pouring rain this afternoon. I thought and worry about the Dove in backyard before I came home. Saw her scared, wet, shivering in an almost flooded bushes, I brought her inside the house. Used a old printer box with newspaper at bottom and plenty of shreded pine chips that previous pet hamster used, I gave her a new temp home. Dry her with a dry blower under low heat (high heat's noise scares her) and she finally looks like herself again. I gather her some food and water and left her in a quiet corner of the house. For a brief moment before I left her alone, we met eye to eye. I seemed to feel her emotion. She seemed desperate, sacred, and lost. "Soon. Little bird. Soon, I will help you span your wings and fly back to your home and family."
2004/07/27 I went back to check on the bird today. She moved to a small area of bushes under a shade. She spends most of time resting. Now and then she would walked around looking for worm/food. She finished the seeds from yesterday. I replenished it. It's impossible for her to get back home. I hope her parents visited her or will visit her. I am sure she missed them. I don't think there is real danger in the backyard for her. In the past I only seen squarrels, rabbits and small birds. Since yesterday I have put out extra food for the squarrels and other birds. I hope she grows stronger everyday.
2004/07/26 While strolling in the backyard in the evening, I discovered a bird on grass. A baby Mourning Dove. An elegant, medium size pinkish brown dove. She must have fell off her nest. She wasn't injured and she didn't wanted to be handled. She was able to flap her wings and jump but can't fly. I let her know I mean no harm. I didn't move her because I thought her parents will be looking for her. I didn't want to handle her because I was afraid human scent may prevent her parents from recongnizing her. I spread some seeds besides her and left a small bowl of water. Nature only needs a little help from us. Watching her, I feel the fragility and precious of life. I feel grateful and fortunate for being me. Having the ability to help is something to be grateful for.
