Is this a miracle? I do not know but it seems a well constructed chain of events.....recently, with schedules and new activities making changes in normal routines,my family accused me of neglecting my bird, a small parot whom I have bonded with more than any other pet i ever knew. They saw his listless behavior and appearence and saw a sadness that I was paying no attention to. With my responses of "he's getting old (about13 years) and other silly excuses they stopped telling me and I ignored the signs further.

Two weeks ago he flew away out the window. My sadness was so that I rushed to make flyers, knock on doors of neighbors that though living around for years I never spoke to. I did things like sleep outside in an attempt to see him (cause after all I was sure he wanted to come back to"me") and became afraid for my little pal facing the elements and the dangers that he was unfamilar with. On the second day I saw him in the tree, normally his reaction to me is a sort of excitement and he comes to me. Well he stared back at me, came down to our level and we thought our ordeal was over. Suddenly he seemed to call out and flew way in the distant trees. This was 'Arthur', my buddy, he wouldnt want to stay out after seeing"me", no matter how sad and alone he might have been feeling.

Well after four days I was beginning to think the worst, hearing screeching crows, seeing a lightning storm, I thought he would not have made it. Neighbors I once ignored asking about my pet made me happy to see the kindness in people that I often overlook. In what I thought a silly almost comical action I searched the internet for "lost birds". My computer being three days old and I thought on line meant waste of time but hey, I was sitting here. Why not try.

I was shocked at the sites for this purpose and the communication between people with simalar interests and received emails from strangers saying they were sorry for my loss. Thru messages I was linked to people and groups (the long island parrot rescue society, if I may put in my plug of thanks to these people) and they linked me with a family that found my bird. I quickly went to get him and was met by enthusiastic people with a story of how they coaxed him down, fed him, and soon he was coming to them to play with him (that can't be, I mean he didn't come to"me"and he doesn't play much these days (you see he's getting old and etc.). I really arrived to see him quite happy with an attentive family that though happy that I found my pet, were getting calls from people who after meeting him were anxious to adopt him as their own.

I was seeing this bird, looking better than before, opening up to strangers and quite happy. I thought back to a phone call made just after he escaped,my girlfriend (who is a uniquely spiritual soul with many passions) told me she was not surprised to hear it and thought it was only logical that this was hapening. I was amazed she saw a pets needs as clearly as one might see a humans, with events and consequences necessary for a good relationship. She spoke always a casual certainty that we would find him again, that it was destiny.

This story has a very happy ending (we all like those don't we?).

1. In this experience I saw I was indeed ignoring a trusted friend (feathered maybe but a friend just the same), that he was trying to tell me something and, being ignored, tried something more drastic.

2. I have found neighbors now that I see and greet and smile at, they were always there.

3. I listen more than I have been, afterall we should never be that busy should we?

4. I have found the great benefits of computers and the internet and by this very word I'm typing I see its great potential. Its not what I thought "I" knew about it in spite of what others said.

5. I look into the eyes of my girlfriend (Hi Val, I'm up late again on this thing but I promise....) and I see a wisdom that I actually used to mock, but am now learning from.

6. I saw its cool to sleep outside even if your pet didn't fly away (I bring Arthur out some nights and he shares my passion for the night sky).

7. I was the recipient of the efforts of caring volunteers, now I want to see what I can do for someone else.

All of this because a fluffy green thing goes out the bathroom window? Forget my opening question. YES,THIS IS A MIRACLE.

- Greg Lober