What Vultures and a 1918 Prayer Reminded Me About Being Human
We have a significant group of turkey vultures (apparently according to howstuffworks.com, a resting group of turkey vultures is called a committee1) who have been spending time warming themselves from the HVAC vent chimney of the local catholic church. A group of 10-12 (?) have clustered themselves around the top of the chimney while 10-20 others (maybe more) have been in the big tree next to the building and on the roof peak nearby. Here you can see the chinmey and some of the vultures on the roof.
I first noticed this about a week ago during a major cold snap that we had here and I have included a video at the end of Scout’s initial reaction to the whole thing. But that time and others I’ve walked by, I noticed something really interesting. Periodically one of the vultures from the chimney flies down to the roof or over to the tree and another one takes its place on the chimney. And then a few moments later the same thing happens with other ones. I’m pretty sure if I stayed there longer, I’d keep seeing that pattern repeat itself over and over. Once one of the vultures is warm enough (I’m assuming that’s why they’re at the chimney - not sure what the inhaled exhaust is doing to them though) they move off so another one can warm up.
Vultures get a pretty bad rap - they’re not the prettiest of birds and they are scavengers that eat the carcasses of other dead animals. (Did you know they can smell the gases from a rotting animal from over a mile away?!) But here, they are showing us something about what it means to be in community with one another and how we are to give of ourselves for others to flourish. Sure, the strongest vultures in this committee could hoard the chimney and fight off others that try to come in. But it doesn’t seem to be that way here. There seems to be a pattern of sharing this necessary resource (heat) so that the group (the committee, or wake, or kettle - see footnote below) can thrive as a whole. It reminds me of a scene from the sci-fi / action movie, Aliens where Signourney Weaver’s character confronts Paul Reiser’s character about whether the alien xenomorphs or humans are worse when she says, “You know, Burke, I don’t know which species is worse. You don’t see them *!@$ing each other over for a @#$! percentage.”2
And yet we see us human beings doing that same thing over and over again. While there are so many examples of beautiful generosity and community, they are so often overshadowed by the examples of greed and selfishness. In my Christian tradition, I love the message that Paul shares in 1 Corinthians to a community that was beset by division, selfishness, and greed. He writes of how the community of people were like one physical body - some are hands, others are feet, others are eyes, some are ears, and the list goes on. But he says that when one part suffers, all suffer. When one part rejoices, all rejoice. Paul’s message is that they are deeply connected to one another.
Another example. One of my Iowa relatives sent a Christmas card to my parents which included a prayer that was written by my great-great-aunt (or something like that) in her 1918 diary. It said:
The year 1918 is at an end. It was a good year. Things grew good. Thank God for it was needed to feed the poor and the soldiers. It was an awful year with the war and influenza. It took a lot of sacrifice and as a family we were spared. Oh so much thanks we owe to our heavenly father that he cares and loves us even though we are unworthy. Let us all love him and serve him better. Father help us in the new year to serve you better. This we ask in Jesus’ name.
Written 108 years ago and talking about wars and a pandemic - sounds familiar doesn’t it? But the prayer also spoke of the connection between the food they grew in Iowa and how it was needed to feed the poor and the soldiers. It spoke of the sacrifices people needed to make for others.
Once again, we’re all deeply connected to one another.
A Few Other Noticings
These were from Sunday morning as I walked around Winton Lake.
Grace, Peace, Love, Hope, and Joy,
Ed
PS - Scout’s initial reaction to the vultures. She was initially ready to hunt but then thought otherwise…
Apparently, a resting group is called a committee, a feeding group is called a wake, and a flying group is called a kettle. According to…https://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/what-is-a-group-of-turkey-vultures-called.htm
Such fun getting to see joyous Scout in motion!
Grace peace love and joy 💕