Doves.

Image courtisey of client safari

None of the doves I have been in contact with recently would make a very good picture

So something totally bad is happening. I think it's a sign, and not a good one! Let me explain, and tell me what you think.

I have a big bay window in my room, and when I first moved here I was standing in the window, looking out, and a dove flew right into it. Right next to where my head was. It hit hard too. It splattered... stuff... all over the window, and left a bird shaped smudge of the glass. (really, you could see the head, the wings, everything, and it was totally hard to get off!) It died. I was traumatized.

A few weeks later Ethan ran a bird over with his bike. He didn't mean to, it was just sitting there, and didn't move, and his "brain forgot to tell his legs to stop pedaling" Guess what kind of bird it was... yeah, it was totally a dove.

A few weeks after that the kids and I were going outside. I opened the door, and a dove flew straight at me, hitting the brick next to the door frame, and knocking it out for a second. I stood there looking at it, wondering what to do, when it all of a sudden came alive and flew under the couch. We weren't really sure what to do. It took some coaxing, but finally I moved the couch, and the kids made a mad dash for it. Ethan caught it, and threw it out the door, and nothing got "doved" on, but it was really strange. And pretty freaky.

Then today I was driving down the road on my way to take Ethan to an appointment in Monticello. A group of birds flew right in front of my car, and I hit one. Oops! So I drive all the way to Monticello. As I drive through town I see several people I know, and wave to them. Everyone gives me kind of funny looks though. I know that I have been gossiped about by a few people, lately, and I think it might have something to do with that, so I try not to get my feelings hurt, and keep driving. We stop at the hospital and get out, and then I see it. That "bird" I hit earlier happened to be a dove, and it got it's little head stuck in my grill, and it's lifeless body had been bouncing around on the front of my car all the way from La Sal. Nice right? I had to pry it out with a stick, and then some mean guy yelled at me about not leaving it there in the hospital parking lot. (I pretended I didn't hear him, and left it there anyway. What was I supposed to do with it, stick it in my purse until I found a garbage can?)

So here is the thing. I am getting a little self-conscious. It would be one thing if it was several kinds of birds, but it isn't. It's always a dove. I am trying to figure it out, but the only thing that keeps coming to me is the fact that a dove is the sign of

Peace

and love,

and I keep KILLING IT!!!

This is not a great thing for my life right now. I want love. I want peace.

I don't want to be a "murderer of love!"

(From one of my all time favorite movies - name it!)

So give me a few ideas here. I totally believe in signs, and this totally is one. So what does it mean? I would prefer ideas that are nicer than "murderer of love" but truth would work too:). Let me know what you think. I know several of you love analyzing things like this, so I am expecting some responses here people.

Oh, and here is a little update. I just found out that this kind of dove is called a Mourning Dove. NOT"Morning" like I had always thought. NOT like the happy, sunshiny, fresh start- kind of dove! More like the pain, misery, deep sense of loss- kind of dove!Nice! This can't be good, can it?)