A brown pelican dives for dinner.
The smaller brown pelicans that we see year round are such a complete contrast to the huge, white pelicans that winter with us. The white pelicans float gracefully atop the water, their heads will smoothly dip beneath the surface for a few moments then resurface fish in tow. In contrast, the brown pelicans go through a series of near clownish aerobatics as they search for food. Circling overhead they spot their prey, then begin to zero in. With a slight twist to their body they dive, unceremoniously plopping head first into the water. Momentarily they resurface, reposition their booty, and gulp.
The bottom line, of course, is that the end results are the same – both the browns and the whites are successful in their fishing efforts.
Do the pelicans compare themselves and despair? Do the browns wish they could be more graceful? Do the whites secretly lust for their counterparts’ athletic agility, or do they feel smug and superior in the gracefulness? No, of course not – we silly humans do that.
For today a gentle reminder courtesy of the brown pelicans: Do not judge or criticize, just be and do all that we are – nothing more, nothing less.
A beautiful, gentle, fall day. Temperatures in the high 60s.