………….

The afternoon sun shone through the window, giving his shadow the illusion of towering above me. His dark eyes boring into me, as I stood before the expectant class. The chatter from the children was almost a heckling, of whispered tones and mocking giggles. “Only she would pick a sparrow” scoffed Nelly, a particularly mean girl who often bullied me.

‘You can choose any bird’ queried the teacher, ‘and you chose a sparrow’.

His eyes demanding an explanation.

I stood before the wretched class in my only dress, tattered and worn, my feet bare, hair tangled and dirty. I hadn’t needed to make any notes, for the sparrow and I were kindred.

I cleared my throat, the other children eagerly awaiting my presentation.

I took a moment to look at the class, my eyes resting on each of theirs.

“I am but a sparrow surrounded by a flock, a flock of angry, savage birds. Yet I am still myself. You all think I’m insignificant, timid, easily injured. But each day, I show up”,  my voice raising passionately.  Melodic like the lift when a song arrives at the chorus.

The children seemed  oddly interested, awaiting the return of my words.  “ I’m am not an eagle, a  phoenix an owl, or any other bird that you might see as important. I am a Sparrow, I am  resilient. I survive on morsels, scraps, things that you might cast aside. I never have to beg for anything, I never take advantage of others. I fend for myself. I am content with all that I have. I am creativity, my imagination protects me. No matter what is cast my way, I will always find happiness. And that is what sparrows do, they simply remind you to be happy, to be grateful. To make do with what you have. I looked at the children, expecting the usual chiding, but they were all very quiet, most surprising was Nelly, Nelly, was crying. And through the open windows I could see the sparrows, waiting...