![\"911](\"http:\/\/www.surfacefine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/911-pools.jpg\")
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If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram (especially Instagram), you know over the course of the summer, I became keenly aware of “hearts” in my world. \u00a0On the sidewalk, in graffiti, a crumpled piece of paper in the street, gum on the curb. \u00a0Frequently, I see a “heart” somewhere. \u00a0Depending on what’s going on in my world, they symbolize different things to me. \u00a0I usually see them when I’m alone and they always make me think (or change my thinking), and usually stop me in my tracks (well I’m not taking action photos, so I do actually need to stop). \u00a0I try to change my walk routes now, in the hopes of finding an undiscovered heart. \u00a0Often these hearts give me hope.<\/p>\n
This morning I passed 2 familiar hearts on my way to work. \u00a0Hearts I now see all the time. \u00a0I was secretly hoping I would see a NEW heart today but it didn’t happen. \u00a0The 9\/11 TV coverage I’d watched as I walked out the door weighed heavy on my heart. \u00a0I thought of the friend I was with on 9\/11, who has since passed away, and how very much I miss him.<\/p>\n At the office, my BG skyrocketed, work stress elevated (like crazy yo), I very politely but firmly argued with a medical supplier and I glanced out my window. \u00a0I have pigeons that land on my windowsill often. \u00a0I call them Pigeon Spies. \u00a0I claim they are stealing my designs and that they are annoying, but secretly, I love them (even though they occasionally give me a heart attack when they tap the window as they land). \u00a0They taunt my dog and fall asleep inches from him. \u00a0They are bold, brave and curious. \u00a0Those pigeons are New Yorkers.<\/p>\n Every once in awhile, two pigeons will be on the sill at the same time. \u00a0One is always going after the other and there are never two on the sill for more than a few seconds. \u00a0Today, I watched something new. \u00a0Two pigeons. \u00a0One much bigger than the other one. \u00a0They stood together, side by side. \u00a0They watched me for awhile and mirrored my movements (yep, spies) and then they turned and sat down, touching, looking out on a corner of New York City. \u00a0The smaller one leaned over and the big one got down a little lower. \u00a0There’s a term for this, allogrooming, meaning grooming\u00a0performed by one animal upon another animal of the same species. \u00a0Perhaps we all see what we want to see, but the smaller pigeon spent so much time fixing the other pigeon’s head feathers, it was remarkable. \u00a0I was less than 6 inches away, they would look at me, but they didn’t leave. \u00a0There was something tender about it. \u00a0I felt exactly like when I see hearts. \u00a0It felt like love.<\/p>\n So today, just remember to love. \u00a0On some level, we are all in this together. \u00a0Whether it’s helping someone in the DOC, or reaching out to a friend or a family member. \u00a0Just remember to love.<\/p>\n Thanks for bringing me some magic today, Pigeon Spies. \u00a0Tomorrow you can go back to taunting and stealing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As a New Yorker, as an American and simply just as a human being, 9\/11 is wrought with emotion, deep sadness and many memories. \u00a0I have stories I could tell, my fellow Alecia’s Stem Cells teammates have many, many stories … Continue reading <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n