July 27, 2026
Morning and Afternoon Reflection
Chance…
This morning began the way so many of my favorite mornings do, with a sunrise over the Venice Pier and my feathered friends waiting to greet me. The silhouettes of pigeons lined the top of the lifeguard tower, quietly watching the day wake up. Romeo was busy chasing after the girls, Domino came as soon as I called her name, and Clubbie and Honey Girl were waiting patiently on the railing for breakfast.
As I stood there, I realized something that made me smile. I honestly don’t remember what life was like before pigeons. Somewhere along the way, they became part of my daily routine, my teachers, my friends, and a reminder that joy often arrives with wings.
Then the day took an unexpected turn.
When I returned to the pier later that afternoon, one little pigeon kept following me. He wasn’t interested in the food as much as he was interested in staying close. He walked beside me, looked up at me with those bright little eyes, and finally sat next to me as if he had already made his decision.
He chose me.
I don’t know exactly what happened to him. Maybe he had been attacked. Maybe he was simply exhausted and needed help. Whatever his story is, today our paths crossed for a reason.
So I decided to call him Chance.
Not because meeting him was random, but because sometimes all any of us need is one chance. One chance to be seen. One chance to be helped. One chance to heal. One chance to begin again.
Tonight, Chance is wrapped in a soft towel, safe and warm, and later this evening after traffic, he’ll be making a trip to Bruce at Palos Verdes so he can get the care he needs.
Sometimes the little miracles we hope to find are actually hoping to find us.
We are all put on this earth to help one another in whatever way we can. Sometimes that means changing someone’s life. Other times it simply means being there when they need a safe place to land.
Today, Chance reminded me that kindness doesn’t have to be grand. It only has to be given.
Grateful.
Capturing beauty, sharing light.
—April
