{i heart cockatiels}

i took a trip to the local pet shop today, i felt the need to connect to something small and adorable i guess. i have this weekly must-do that some of you may laugh at me for but i'll share anyway. i either go to animal shelters or pet shops. once a week. maybe it's because i grew up with a house full of pets and both of my parents raised me to love animals. or it could be that i do not have pets, a sacrifice my husband and i make in order to maintain life both here and in germany. staying abroad for long periods of time isn't a lifestyle that pets enjoy being a part of. i feel this need to connect to animals. squatting down to pat the head of a little shaggy dog with big brown eyes melts me. these creatures uplift me, show me the way, clear the clutter i sometimes feel when i'm extremely busy or when my batteries are a bit low. today i bonded with a darling cockatiel at the pet shop. i don't think the little guy even had a name, but i whistled and played with him through his little cage and after ten minutes of that, he started to copy my whistle. and when i walked away, his feathers ruffled and his chest expanded and he let out the perfect copy of my little song. i couldn't believe it. i spun around on my heels, walked back to his cage, and spent more time just enjoying my little nameless friend with the really big personality. i left the store with extra sunshine inside that spread throughout my soul and warmed my spirit. i felt recharged and ready to get back to work, button up a few projects, press forward. imagine a little holly-o-meter on my arm with a dial slowly working it's way up from low to medium to KAPOW! that was what happened all from visiting a bird. so now i'm back home again, feeling so happy... and i log in to email and the first one i read is from anthropologie showing a glimpse of their new collection. clicking on an enticing image i landed on their website to find this beautiful image (above) showing my friend the cockatiel. i had no clue he was a fashion model. :) but that is him, i swear. gorgeous headdress and all. he looks exactly like my friend in the pet shop. perhaps you are asleep by now but i had to share my pet shop visit with you. a terrific little bird, a beautiful combination of soft gray and yellow with rosy round cheeks of orange, a pretty song to sing... this is sometimes all a person needs to fly again. the friendship of a little bird. (image from anthropologie)