Respite

He sits on the bench along the boardwalk with a bag of peanuts and feeds the animals. They know him well since the snow disappeared and the air is warmer. He enjoys this time, leisurely giving the nutty treasures to Blue Jays and Red Squirrels as people go by, most greeting him as they admire the antics of the animals. 

He doesn’t have much to say because he’s not there for the people. Besides, his hearing prevents him from understanding much of what others say but the animals don’t mind.

While I watched one day, two squirrels scampered away with the nuts, returning quickly to the man, one coming from behind, quickly jumped to the bench and up to his knee. It took the peanut from his hand. He threw a peanut for the other, as he does with the Blue Jays. The man smiled and talked to them as he sat there, relaxed as he enjoyed the setting and the experience.

Around the man, a number of other birds hang out too. A Robin watches from a nearby tree 

as does a Mourning Dove, waiting for any leftovers when the more aggressive animals are done. 

One can hear the efforts of a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker nearby and see it in the tree behind the man and the other animals.

The area is a playground with snacks for the beasts.

For a few minutes in the day, a person sits and communes with nature. During that time, the cares of a troubled world and those in his own life disappear as he feeds the animals, oblivious to all else.

Everyone could benefit from a few of those minutes.