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A LASTING FRIEND

finding a friend later in life after bidding them goodbye

By AryonnaPublished 2 years ago 5 min read
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A LASTING FRIEND
Photo by Alan Godfrey on Unsplash

When I was younger I loved to play in the jungles. Make friends with whatever bird, worm, or twig. I’d be entertained for hours never really grasping just how lonely I was. I hadn’t had many human friends but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. But more of a lack of opportunities. I hadn’t come across many people who I could be friends with. Even if that was the case I could play with the ants and gaze at the flowers and it would be enough.

While taking out the garbage one night I heard a rustling by the trash near the bird house I had built when I was ten and bored. I saw beautiful red feathers and a bird that was massive compared to the tiny bird house that was already half way in shambles. With its colorful feathers it reminded me of the a samba dancer. Red, blue, and yellow mixed together reminding me of carnival.

“Hey! Get away that food is super old!” I exclaimed worried for the huge bird that looked to be almost double the size of my head. Even through it was dry food, it was two years old and I didn’t want the bird to get sick. I ran back in the house so fast I felt a huge rush of air left behind me, and zoomed back with fruits and leaves.

I wanted to make sure the bird could eat it so I asked my ma helped me make it a bowl of food to eat. Looking closer at the bird it was injured and had hurt its left wing. My ma was a vet and wrapped its wing and let the bird stay with us during its recovery time after the wildlife clinic she worked at said it was okay.

I had quickly befriend the bird by giving her seeds everyday. I named her Penelope. We went everywhere together around the house and I taught her tricks as she learned to use her wings again. I would spend time with her when she went to the clinic. She played with me outside and we searched for worms. I finally had a friend.

Before long she had healed and was ready to go back in the wild. I didn't want to see her go. I begged my ma to let her stay, but she said that she had her own home and family to get back to in the wild. I still wanted her to stay, she was my first friend. She told me that if she ever needed us she would come again because she now had a second home with us.

Now that I was a teenager it was a little harder. Living in the same routine I found myself painfully bored most mornings. It wasn’t that I was extremely unhappy with my life. Compared to others I was very fortunate. As my parents said if I had a roof over my head, clothes on my back, and food in my stomach; I was doing alright. Hearing from the few family members I had around. Even my parents and siblings told me I was right where I was supposed to be. Comfortable in my slow as a snail’s paced day, and snug life. It didn’t feel like that. I no longer lived in the jungle, but now it was a small town in Brazil that I couldn’t wait to get out of.

I wanted to find something I was passionate about which wasn't my part time job selling pops at my local shop. I asked my ma if I could word with her over the summer. She said YES! She had me clean up injured animals and take care of them and provide comfort as they healed. I loved the twists and turns of the job, there was always something different each day. She even let me go out with her sometimes in the field when they had to give immediate care to an animal in the wild. When they sometimes didn't make it after so many hours of effort that really hurt. Although that was a tough part in my days at the clinic I still loved it. I felt like I found a purpose a passion.

On a very slow day we got a call that there was a baby bird out of place. With a nest nowhere in sight. I accompanied ma on the call. When we got there we saw that the bird was indeed not in the right place. I was a macaw that was a mile out of it habitat. Ma said it was possible that it was trying to flee from a predator and had lost its way. When we found their habitat in the forest I was in awe. There was flashes of vibrant colors and graceful wings flapping. My head spun from left to right as I tried to take in all the sights.

Till my eyes landed on a very familiar looking bird. It was Penelope! She let out a scream and flew in the air before dropping with a graceful swoop. Flying though the trees weightlessly she came down and landed on my shoulder. It had been so long since I had seen my very first friend.

I made friends at the clinic and went on to study many different species of animals in my multiple notebooks. I found what I wanted to do and be in life. I was really happy and it made me even happier that she was doing just fine and at home.

She indeed had her own family. I was shocked that it was her baby that had lost its way. There were five babies in her nest that all seemed to be thriving. We placed the macaw carefully making sure to not disturb the other babies in the nest. Seeing Penelope happy and healthy after such a painful goodbye, warmed my heart. She was one of the first animals I had interacted with, while learning to form a great relationship. I had her and mama to thank for me finding my passion. I was very grateful that I met ,and was able to help Penelope.

Young Adult
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