Shuffled

This post is my last attempt to explain my funny yet profound experience with a dove. (See my one panel comic and four panel comic on my Instagram feed.)

I like my workspace. It consists of a kitchen table in the center of the room and big glass sliding doors on my right, which lead to a small courtyard. I place a small plate of bird food right next to the doors so that I can feed the doves just by opening the door. (Read my other dove posts.)

Last week I was at the kitchen table thinking about a rather depressing turn of events for a project. I had been working on a book translation for the last few years. When, after years of my labor, the translation finally finished, the publisher became hesitant to move forward. My thoughts were all over the place and all ideas to save this project hit the wall.

Suddenly I sensed a dove landing on the right edge of my peripheral vision through the window. I turned my head and saw a dove dashing to the plate crossing the court yard. His legs were shuffling at an amazing speed to the degree his two legs looked many or blurry. I was stunned by the image since I had never seen these shuffling legs before.

Then I went back to the serious thinking. At least I tried because I realized I couldn’t shake off the image from my mind. Every time I tried to bring my thinking together, the image of the dove appeared in my mind and ran across from right to left! For some weird reason the dove was internalized! Then a thought occurred to me - it may be time to let go of this project….

Since then I discovered that I could call the dove whenever I want, like when I need a distraction from an undesired thought. He would run through my mind and I am good to go.

I call this phenomenon, “being shuffled by a dove.” Maybe you can invite him in, too, if you like.