Detachment

Letting go when the time comes

- Ms. Simone Preuss

Over the last few weeks, nature bestowed the honour on me of letting me witness three seagull babies growing up right in front of my kitchen window. It couldn't have been any better - I had a front row view of this bird's family most memorable moments.

First, they were just little fluff balls (or 'floofmeisters' as I used to call them), bumbling here and there, either following the parent on duty or sleeping cuddled up next to each other. As they got a little bigger, they started exploring their environment the rooftop they were on with its different surfaces, slopes and nooks and crannies. Many times, they toppled over their own feet or later on, used them more or less successfully - like some rookie skaters to slide down the slopes. All the while being hungry, oh so hungry, and harassing the poor parents constantly for food.

Then came the discovery of the wings - still small and very fluffy rather than feathery. However, the gull babies learned to extend them, all the while balancing themselves many a trial ended in toppling over head first, but they managed in the end, hopping and tumbling from different levels of the roof with their little wings spread.