CHAPTER 4

The next day a neighbour came to the house early to see if everyone was ok and tell the mother that the school would be closed until further notice. Sammy was disappointed but not really surprised because rumours had been going on for a while. The teachers had told the children that the school could close in case of danger. Surely, the previous night's events were a sign that things were not as they should be. Seeing the sad look on his sister's face, he forced a smile on his own and, placing his arm on Nada's shoulder, he said: Look at the bright side sister. Now you have the time to rest and this afternoon, if our mother agrees, I'll walk with you to our cousins' house so you can spend some time playing with them. Nada smiled slightly.

Later that day they left the house to visit their cousins who lived just a few streets away. As they walked, however, they were really surprised. Just at the end of the road across from where they lived was a huge hole with mountains of rubbles next to it. There was nothing left from the two houses that used to be there. Everywhere around them there was dust. Everything, from the cars to the trees, was covered by dust. I wonder if that's how the moon looks like? Thought Nada. I can't recognize this place anymore. Said Sammy. They kept looking around, intrigued and sad. There was broken glass everywhere as if all the windows had broken at the same time. As if all the neighbourhood's houses had been crying tears of broken glass. That evening the children went to bed early but a though kept preventing them from falling asleep. Would there be another strike? Could their house be the next one to fall? The old house watched them tenderly and when they finally closed their eyes, she whispered the following story.

The pigeon and the strange bird

One morning, Mo, a little pigeon who had been forced to leave his nest to go with his uncle's family, woke up and looked around him. Everything appeared strange to him. It wasn't a bad feeling, but it felt awkward. Like that feeling you have when things around you are suddenly very different from how you would like them to be, and it just doesn't feel right. Have you ever felt like a goat in a tree? Or like a fish in the desert? Well, Mo felt a little like that. I want to go home. He said loudly but to himself. I want things to be as they were before. As he spoke, he heard a strange voice behind him. An old squeaky voice that somehow reminded him of the sound of a rusty door when it opens slowly. ‘Home'? What do you mean by that? Asked the voice. In the rays of the morning lights, Mo had to move his head left and right to make sense of the strange bird that was walking slowly towards him. It looked very old, and some of his feathers appeared blue in the morning light. He must have been a magnificent creature in his youth, Mo thought, but now it looked very strange.

Mo felt slightly embarrassed that his thoughts had been overheard by a stranger like that. The feathers on his head raised slightly as the old bird looked at him, visibly expecting an answer to his question. Well, you know, ‘home'… the nest where I was born and where my parents live. Oh! I see, said the bird nodding his head gently. You left your nest to seek new adventures! Good for you! I did that too when I was young, and now I dare say that experience is the mother of all learning. Mo turned his head slightly as he tried to understand what the bird was saying. What an odd bird he thought. The old bird smiled and continued. You should be happy young one, yet I see the sadness in your eyes. Why? Mo lowered his head so low that his little beak disappeared in the feathers of his chest. Happy? How could I be happy when I am so far from everything I love and worried for my family all the time? Well, if you miss them, it's because you love them, and the capacity to love is a great gift. Mo moved aside slightly, unsure, and looked at the old bird intensely as he continued to talk. I may not see my children very often, but I am always grateful to have them in my heart because you see, I know that they love me just as your parents love you, and that is something worth being happy about. Isn't it?

Mo stopped moving for a moment as his attention shifted towards the old bird's eyes. He felt his head nod gently. That's right, said the bird, with a much softer voice. Knowing that you are loved, even when you are separated from that person, really can make you happy. Now tell me, do you sometimes feel that your heart is very heavy and you are not sure what to do with this? Of course, I feel like this each time I think about my parents and when I fly it feels as if the pain is bringing me down. Hmmm, said the old bird, if you allow yourself to look beyond the pain, you may begin to realise that what makes your heart like this is all the love you have inside. Mo was now very curious. The old bird continued with a soft smile. Now young pigeon you should know that love can be as heavy or as light as you want it to be. Just imagine all the people in your heart spreading their wings to fly. Does it feel lighter now? Mo took a deep breath and put his wing on his heart. It felt lighter, and it made him feel better.

Mo observed the old bird standing in front of him for a while. It was a very strange bird with feathers sticking oddly on top of his head and several spots on his neck with no feathers at all. One of his eyes seemed to always look towards his beak no matter where the old bird was staring. It looked as if old parts of different birds had been glued back together by nature and he was limping somehow. That bird looks funny, Mo thought, but his little heart did not feel like laughing.

How can I be happy when my own parents forced me to come to this strange place with my uncle and aunt? How can I be happy when no one cares about what I think or what I want? Mo's sadness was slowly turning into frustration, and he kicked a small piece of rubble with his foot. Humm, that's a very strong leg you have there, I wonder if your wings are as strong said the old bird. Please don't mock me, sir. I really don't feel like that, Mo replied. Mocking you? I would not dare. I was simply admiring the privileges of youth that I have long lost. If you look at my wings, you will see that I cannot fly anymore. This is the result of an encounter with a cat a few years ago. But tell me please, how do you feel exactly? I feel… I feel…. Mo did not really know how to talk about his feeling, it was all very confusing for him. Was it anger? Was it frustration? Was it loneliness? Fear? I feel all mixed up! Mo shouted finally. I feel all mixed up and out of control! Everyone is deciding for me, and I am tired of that. As he spoke,  he turned his back to the old bird and hid his head into his wing.

Mo felt as if something inside of him had lifted gently as if talking about his feelings had opened a door to something, but he wasn't sure what it was. He felt the movement of the old bird getting closer to him. Young one, the bird said softly, there are times in life when you must trust the judgment of the people who love you. If your parents sent you here, they must have had a good reason. Now there may also be moments in your life when you feel trapped. You see the marks on my neck? Mo nodded. These are from a time when I was locked in a cage. These were really hard times because I could not fetch food or water for myself. I could not fly away or even walk around properly. I had to wait patiently for a human to bring me what I needed without any mean of telling them what I really wanted. Sometimes they would take so long to clean my cage and change my water that it would start to smell very bad, and I often became very hungry, but I learned something very important in those days. I learned that you are always free inside your head. Mo looked at the old bird, confused. Free in your head? What on earth did that mean? It means that nobody can control what happens in your mind. Even when you feel powerless and out of control, you can always use the power of your imagination to go anywhere you want and do anything that makes you happy. That's how I survived all those years that I was locked in the cage. Do You want to try? Oh yes! said Mo eagerly.

Now this is how it works: close your eyes for a moment and focus on your breathing. Just sense the air coming in and out. That's right, you are doing very well. A few more breaths, that's it. Now think about a happy place. Really think about it until you begin to see it in your head. Imagine yourself playing around and having fun in your happy place. See the things and the people around you. You may even begin to feel the wind or the sun or the ground under your feet. Maybe you can smell something or hear something. Just remember all the things that make you happy in this place. Soon you will begin to smile and feel very good inside. Just let that smile grow and the good feeling spread everywhere in your body. That's right. How do you feel now? Mo was now smiling. He felt calmer and happier. Stay there as long as you want, said the old bird, just know that you can go back there any time you want and as often as you need. When you are ready, just open your eyes.

Mo opened his eyes, looked at the old bird and started laughing. Why do you laugh asked the bird? Because you were there with me. Mo replied. Together we pushed your cage off the roof of a house, and it broke in very small pieces so no more bird can be trapped in it anymore. Oh, thank you! Said the old bird smiling. Mo continued laughing; I even imagined that the bits of the cage were falling on the head of the big birds at home and scaring them away. The old bird started laughing as well. It must have been very funny he said. Oh yes, answered Mo. You are a very funny bird, mister, and I am happy to have you as my new friend.