It is always interesting to see the sparrows come and to eat the wheat that I leave out for them. And they enjoy the fact that I am the one who is giving it to them. That is something that I do not understand but that is the way it is and they will not accept it any other way. And where the wheat is put out, our cats are able to watch them eating the wheat at all times. But it is at times that this all becomes a little bit too much.
There are moments when the cats will become a little keen. They find that they have a desire to eat sparrow and they think that with sparrow just "out there" that this should be an easy thing to achieve. But in the moment of breathless excitement they forget all about the pane of glass between them and the sparrow. So what usually happens is that there is a rush to the window and then there is a feeble bang as the window is hit along with the venetian blind. And the sparrows flutter away and the cat is left wondering as to where it all went wrong.
As I look at this event taking place a few times I cannot help but wonder if there is a lesson there for us as well. That as we rush into idea of temptation that we appreciate that there will be side effects that are not for the best. In other words, do we count the cost? And as we "hit the window" do we also appreciate that the cost is real and that in the end the temptation was not really worth it. So let us consider the cost and remember to do the right thing. We will be much happier in the end anyway.
