Days and days and days go by with not a word on my blog. Then, today, one of these little guys decided to come along and wake me up. This morning as I sat in my office on the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus a Japanese White Eye decided to come for a visit. The bird announced itself with a light thud on the glass (clean windows, a bird's nightmare). I stood from my chair and examined the ledge outside my window.

There lay the little bird. So small and delicate, its little breast rising in falling with rapid breaths. It seemed mortally wounded and near its last breath. I'm a lover of birds and the Japanese White Eye I love above all others, so I felt compelled to stay there with the little fellow in his final moments of life. It was heartbreaking.

But, seemingly just as quickly as this wee champ had gone down, it suddenly sprung back on its two feet. The bird's eyes seemed wide, like a quarterback who's just had his bell rung. The movements of the bird were slow at first, but soon it was looking around some. I continued to watch, giving words of encouragement in Japanese, "ganbare". The bird finally noticed me and we gazed at each other for some time. I sensed that it was a bit embarrassed--a feeling familiar to anyone who has ever accidentally rammed themselves into a door or window.

"I understand," I thought and left my office to run to the restroom.

When I came back the ledge was empty.