Coping with Fear, Worry and Hate

Do you ever feel like something is weighing you down or keeping you from being your best self? Maybe you're not feeling quite like yourself. Well, it turns out, the answer might be simple. Your mind isn't at peace. This feeling reflects what's going on deep inside you: fear, worry, and even hate. It's tough to shake off these emotions because we're afraid of our own mortality. But remember, you're not alone. Animals experience these emotions too. I wanted to share this because it's important, especially for younger folks, to understand and remember.

I did something different this weekend. Instead of spending time aimlessly scrolling through social media, I picked up a book and read it end to end. This was not a business book and not something I would typically read. It was not perfect. It was written in the early 1900s long before man had conquered Mount Everest. But it surprised me with a few ideas that I wanted to share with you.

I think the book is worth a read if you have patience. The book is online and available here: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/72086/pg72086-images.html

Initially it comes across as a book made for bird enthusiasts but if you can read between the lines, there is wisdom.

The story was penned by someone well-versed in the ways of birds and the intricacies of the animal kingdom. Everything in that world is incredibly unpredictable, making it challenging for us humans to fully grasp and understand.

The story revolves around an incredibly handsome and stylish pigeon born in Calcutta, India. During his first flight attempt, he faces a hawk attack, narrowly escaping thanks to his parents. This incident leaves him deeply fearful, struggling to comprehend the jungle's unspoken rules. Tragedy strikes again when his father perishes in a storm.

The owner takes the bird and his mother on a Himalayan vacation, where they explore and visit Buddhist monasteries. However, during one flight, his mother sacrifices herself to save him, leaving him injured and separated from his owner. The fragility and unpredictability of pigeon life weigh heavily on him, filling him with fear and worry.

Later, the owner learns that the pigeon was cared for by Buddhist monks in a monastery, where he discovers the power of overcoming fear. Embracing solo adventures, he faces a hawk head-on, realizing the key to survival lies in conquering fear.

In 1914, amidst a world at war, the owner raises carrier pigeons to aid the Indian army in France. The pigeon is deployed to carry messages across enemy lines, encountering a new threat: airplanes. Witnessing the horrors of war, he is injured in a crossfire and returns home, choosing never to fly again.

To the author's amazement, the little bird miraculously finds his way back to the same monastery to heal from his injuries and takes flight once more.

The last paragraph of this story has an epiphany that literally codifies the universal law across humans and animals alike. It took the author/owner multiple trips to decode this:

Instead of spinning out a sermon at the end of this story, let me say this:

"Whatever we think and feel will colour what we say or do. He who fears, even unconsciously, or has his least little dream tainted with hate, will inevitably, sooner or later, translate these two qualities into his action. Therefore, my brothers, live courage, breathe courage and give courage. Think and feel love so that you will be able to pour out of yourselves peace and serenity as naturally as a flower gives forth fragrance."