Pigeon Pride ✨: a meditation and calming story

0:05 [SPEAKER_02]: Hello, Awe Islanders. [SPEAKER_02]: We're so glad you're here. [SPEAKER_02]: Let's see if you have everything you want to be calm on Awe Island. [SPEAKER_02]: Are the lights in your room dim or off? [SPEAKER_02]: Do you have your favorite blanket or listening buddy? [SPEAKER_02]: Let's relax by taking a deep dragon breath, breathe in through your nose, filling up your lungs, and then out through your mouth, imagining you are breathing fire like a dragon.

0:53 [SPEAKER_02]: Okay, deep breath in and out. [SPEAKER_02]: Good! [SPEAKER_02]: Imagine you are a graceful willow tree, swang in a gentle breeze. [SPEAKER_02]: Pretend your feet are the roots of the willow tree. [SPEAKER_02]: Feel your roots stretched through the grass and into the earth. [SPEAKER_02]: The warm soil hugs you as your roots reach deeper and deeper.

1:37 [SPEAKER_02]: and you feel safe and secure in the earth's embrace. [SPEAKER_02]: Take a deep dragon breath in and out. [SPEAKER_02]: Think of your legs, tummy, and neck. [SPEAKER_02]: As the trunk of the willow tree, warm energy flows up from the earth into your roots and up through your trunk. [SPEAKER_02]: Now pretend that your arms and head are flexible, leafy, willow branches.

2:35 [SPEAKER_02]: as you take one more deep dragon breath in and out. [SPEAKER_02]: Great job everyone. [SPEAKER_02]: I hope you are tucked in nice and cozy. [SPEAKER_02]: And now, we're ready to begin our story. [SPEAKER_01]: Let's be calm on Awe Island. [SPEAKER_01]: Our story today is Pigeon Pride. [SPEAKER_01]: It was a beautiful day on Awe Island.

3:28 [SPEAKER_01]: The sun was shining brightly over the whole island, making everyone feel warm and energized. [SPEAKER_01]: The plaza outside the Awe Island civic building was bustling. [SPEAKER_01]: People walked along the paved paths, heading here and there, some occasionally stopping [SPEAKER_01]: This little plaza was one of Paisley Pigeon's favorite places to visit.

3:59 [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley often visited the civic building grounds, because there was always something interesting happening. [SPEAKER_01]: Many birds enjoyed this area, so Paisley thought it would be a good idea to say hello to some of her other bird friends. [SPEAKER_01]: In particular, Paisley hoped she'd see her good friend, Mabel Mallard, [SPEAKER_01]: Mabel often spent time paddling along the small creek beneath the footbridge, and Paisley thought it would be nice to spend the afternoon chatting with her.

4:35 [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley looked around the plaza, hoping to spot Mabel, but she found someone else instead. [SPEAKER_01]: So the dad sparrow fluttered down from the large shade tree, and landed on the paved path a short distance away. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley knew Soladad from other gatherings around Awe Island, so she waddled over to say, hello.

5:01 [SPEAKER_01]: Hi, Soladad. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley greeted cheerfully, have you seen maple around today? [SPEAKER_01]: Soladad shook her head, not yet, she replied, then she glanced at Paisley and seemed to hesitate. [SPEAKER_01]: actually, paisley, I've been meaning to ask you something. [SPEAKER_01]: Do you spend a lot of time here?

5:27 [SPEAKER_01]: paisley nodded, I do. [SPEAKER_01]: I like seeing all the people coming and going, and there are usually lots of birds around too. [SPEAKER_01]: So a dad shuffled her feet and said, Well, I heard that pigeons are kind of dirty because they spend their time around dropped food and garbage.

5:49 [SPEAKER_01]: The little sparrow paused, then added. [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe pigeons shouldn't be around places where lots of people sit and walk. [SPEAKER_01]: Dirty, paisley repeated, feeling shocked. [SPEAKER_01]: She peered under her wings and ruffled her feathers. [SPEAKER_01]: They looked the same as they ever did.

6:13 [SPEAKER_01]: She didn't feel dirty, and she didn't think she smelled bad either. [SPEAKER_01]: So let that nodded uncertainly. [SPEAKER_01]: It's just what I've heard, she said. [SPEAKER_01]: paisley suddenly felt uncomfortable. [SPEAKER_01]: A moment ago she had been looking forward to spending the afternoon with a friend.

6:37 [SPEAKER_01]: Now she found herself wondering whether the people sitting on the benches would rather she was somewhere else. [SPEAKER_01]: Thinking about it, she remembered she actually hadn't ever seen another pigeon in this plaza. [SPEAKER_01]: It basically wasn't sure what to do after this conversation, so she just said, oh, okay, to solo dead and turned and watered away, deep in thought.

7:11 [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley knew she sometimes ate crumbs, people accidentally dropped on the ground, but plenty of birds did that. [SPEAKER_01]: and as for garbage. [SPEAKER_01]: Well, sometimes paisley even picked up small scraps of paper and carried them toward a nearby trash bin when no humans were looking.

7:32 [SPEAKER_01]: She liked helping to keep the places she visited, tidy. [SPEAKER_01]: still, Solidad's words stayed in Paisley's mind. [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe other birds thought the same thing. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley decided to leave this area and fly to the park. [SPEAKER_01]: As the little pigeon settled in the grass far away from the people, she heard a cheerful chirping from a tree overhead.

8:02 [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley looked up and saw Jerry [SPEAKER_01]: Jerry noticed Paisley below and fluttered down to the grass. [SPEAKER_01]: Hello Paisley, Jerry greeted her, then she tilted her head. [SPEAKER_01]: You look sad, are you okay? [SPEAKER_01]: paisley instinctively took a small step backward. [SPEAKER_01]: You might not want to stand too close to me, she warned.

8:33 [SPEAKER_01]: I just learned that pigeons are dirty because we spend time around dropped food and trash. [SPEAKER_01]: Jerry stared at Paisley for a moment, then she smiled and exclaimed, well, you don't look dirty to me, actually, I think your feathers are even shinier than mine. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley looked at her feathers.

8:59 [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, her gray feathers were shinny and beautifully iridescent in spots. [SPEAKER_01]: Of course not, Jerry replied, everybody gets dirty sometimes. [SPEAKER_01]: I've gotten mud all over my feet while looking for a meal. [SPEAKER_01]: That doesn't mean every Robin is dirty all the time.

9:26 [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley considered that. [SPEAKER_01]: She had certainly seen birds of all kinds splashing puddles, dig through dirt, and pick food off the ground. [SPEAKER_01]: Jerry fluttered her wings. [SPEAKER_01]: It doesn't make sense to decide something about you just because you're a pigeon, she added.

9:52 [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks Jerry, paisley said, that does make me feel a bit better. [SPEAKER_01]: with that, the two birds parted ways, and paisley waddled on, heading in the direction of the forest. [SPEAKER_01]: She still felt bothered by what Sola Dad had said, but at least she knew not everyone thought that way.

10:18 [SPEAKER_01]: As she passed beneath another tree, paisley heard a, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, [SPEAKER_01]: coming from above her. [SPEAKER_01]: When she looked up, she saw a big, beautiful brown owl, perched in the branches of a stately oak tree. [SPEAKER_01]: It was Odin owl. [SPEAKER_01]: Hello, Paisley.

10:43 [SPEAKER_01]: Odin greeted her. [SPEAKER_01]: You look like you have something on your mind. [SPEAKER_01]: Someone just told me pigeons are dirty. [SPEAKER_01]: Jerry said it wasn't fair to assume that about me just because I'm a pigeon. [SPEAKER_01]: Odin nodded thoughtfully. [SPEAKER_01]: Jerry makes a good point.

11:10 [SPEAKER_01]: He said. [SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes people hear something about a group and start expecting every member of that group to be exactly the same. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley looked up at him. [SPEAKER_01]: She had always heard that owls were wise, so she was curious what Odin would say next. [SPEAKER_01]: Odin gave a little chuckle.

11:35 [SPEAKER_01]: Take me, for example. [SPEAKER_01]: Lots of creatures say that owls are always wise. [SPEAKER_01]: But I assure you, I have made plenty of silly mistakes. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley smiled, really? [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely, Odin replied. [SPEAKER_01]: Being an owl doesn't automatically make everything I do wise, and being a pigeon doesn't automatically make you anything either.

12:05 [SPEAKER_01]: You're paisley. [SPEAKER_01]: The best way for someone to learn what you are like is to get to know you. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley thought about Jerry again. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley herself sometimes assumed ravens were all loud and talkative because Jerry was so [SPEAKER_01]: but perhaps some robins were quiet, and Paisley had just assumed Odin would know exactly what to say because he was an owl.

12:36 [SPEAKER_01]: I guess I make assumptions sometimes too, Paisley admitted. [SPEAKER_01]: Most of us probably do once in a while, Odin said. [SPEAKER_01]: The important thing is noticing when we're doing it, [SPEAKER_01]: paisley nodded suddenly, as if she had come to a decision. [SPEAKER_01]: I think you're right, she said.

13:03 [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not dirty. [SPEAKER_01]: Then she smiled and added, thank you, Odin. [SPEAKER_01]: I feel much better now. [SPEAKER_01]: Good. [SPEAKER_01]: You're very welcome paisley. [SPEAKER_01]: Said Odin. [SPEAKER_01]: Now go and have some fun. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley wandered through the park, thinking about everything Jerry and Odin had said.

13:28 [SPEAKER_01]: She had come here wondering if there might be something wrong with her, simply because she was a pigeon. [SPEAKER_01]: Now that feeling had begun to fade. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley knew who she was. [SPEAKER_01]: She was friendly, and she cared about the other birds and creatures around her.

13:49 [SPEAKER_01]: Someone else's assumption did not change any of those things. [SPEAKER_01]: Feeling more confident. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley decided she did not want to hide away from the civic building after all. [SPEAKER_01]: She spread her wings and flew back toward the plaza. [SPEAKER_01]: When Paisley landed near the large shade tree, she immediately spotted Soledette.

14:16 [SPEAKER_01]: The little sparrow was perched on the edge of the bench. [SPEAKER_01]: As soon as Soladad saw Paisley, she fluttered down and approached her, looking a bit uncomfortable. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley, can I talk to you? [SPEAKER_01]: Soladad asked, Paisley hesitated, but then nodded. [SPEAKER_01]: So the dad looked down at her feet.

14:42 [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley, I'm sorry I told you that pigeons were dirty, she began. [SPEAKER_01]: I had heard someone else say it, and I repeated it without stopping to think about whether it was fair. [SPEAKER_01]: I shouldn't have decided something about you just because you were a pigeon. [SPEAKER_01]: I could tell that what I said hurt your feelings, and I'm sorry.

15:06 [SPEAKER_01]: Hazelie looked at Soledad in surprise. [SPEAKER_01]: She appreciated hearing the sparrow admit that what she had said was wrong. [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you for apologizing, Hazelie replied, it did hurt my feelings. [SPEAKER_01]: Soledad nodded, I understand she said. [SPEAKER_01]: Next time I hear something like that about a whole group.

15:37 [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley smiled at Soladad, and Soladad smiled back gratefully. [SPEAKER_01]: The two birds exchanged a friendly wave before Paisley continued through the plaza toward the footbridge. [SPEAKER_01]: She felt much better now. [SPEAKER_01]: Jerry and Odin had helped her remember not to judge herself by someone else's assumption, [SPEAKER_01]: than Paisley heard a quack coming from the water.

16:12 [SPEAKER_01]: She fluttered her wings and hurried to the bridge, where she saw maple climbing up the bank. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley, maybe greeted her happily, I've been hoping you'd come by. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley fluttered down beside the creek. [SPEAKER_01]: I was looking for [SPEAKER_01]: Mabel climbed onto the grassy bank, and paisley settled beside her.

16:39 [SPEAKER_01]: The two friends spent the rest of the afternoon chatting together, as the creek trickled softly past them. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley told Mabel about her unusual day, including what Jerry and Odin had taught her, and how soul-a-dad had apologized. [SPEAKER_01]: I'm glad you came back, Mabel said warmly, so am I, Paisley replied.

17:07 [SPEAKER_01]: As the sun began to set, the friends said goodbye. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley decided to fly to the library roof, where she could watch the evening sky. [SPEAKER_01]: She walked in a small circle, cooing to herself before sitting down, her feathers warming her little feet. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley started to think of all the things she had to be grateful for, [SPEAKER_01]: First, Paisley was grateful for her friend, Mabel, with whom she spent many happy hours.

17:47 [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley took a deep, dragon breath in, and out, [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley snuggled up on the cozy roof, watching the sky turn pink, then orange, and at last a deep blue. [SPEAKER_01]: As she watched the sunset, Paisley felt grateful to Jerry and Odin. [SPEAKER_01]: They helped remind her that no one should make assumptions about others.

18:34 [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley took another deep dragon breath in and out. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley's eyes started to feel heavy, but she felt safe and cozy on the roof of the library. [SPEAKER_01]: Finally, Paisley felt grateful to be her own unique self. [SPEAKER_01]: Paisley took one last deep dragon breath in and out.

19:33 [SPEAKER_01]: and the little pigeon fell asleep on the library roof, dreaming of playing on the bridge with her friend, Mabel. [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you for joining us to be calm on Awe Island. [SPEAKER_01]: See you next time.