This was an incident, I learnt something from.

Last month, a five storeyed building, a few plots away from the work site I was consulting for, suddenly went ablaze.

I too rushed to the site to see what happened, and witnessed this Pigeon sitting on it's nest, on the cornice of the second floor.

As the fire, originated on the first floor, started engulfing the second floor, the Pigeon moved to the third floor canopy, then to the fourth, fifth, and finally on the staircase cap, as the smoke rose up from floor to floor.

Finally, a moment came, when the Pigeon seemed to be convinced enough, that it's nest cannot be saved, any more.

For a moment, it seemed to be frozen, then in a flash, it flapped it's wings, dived down to it's nest in a swinging arc, dislodged a twig of it's nest, and flew high tracing a stunning trajectory, well beyond the reach of the smoke,and fire below.

It knew probably that it can reconstruct it's nest again, but the fire below, had no other fate but to smother, after destroying the building.

The poor Pigeon lost it's nest, but taught me a great lesson at the same time.

-----RAVISHANKAR.