Recently we went to the coast for a weekend getaway. After spending the day at a busy public beach we went to a beachfront motel to spend the night. Just before sunset I walked out alone onto this quieter, more private beach just to take a deep breath, be still and relax. I sat down in the sand. Almost immediately I had company.
At first she may have been looking for a tasty treat. Conditioned by human bribes.
I apologized and explained I had nothing to offer," but you can hang out if you'd like".
She approached to investigate, then would move away, each time coming closer and closer. The notion I might have food now gone she relaxed more each time she came close. Standing on one leg, looking at me with one eye closed, closing both eyes and then peeking through a slitted lid.
so she settled in to rest beside me.
Not long after another gull flew in and strutted up hoping for a handout.
My first companion, uninterested in the forward behavior of the newcomer, started preening herself.
The newcomer quickly settled in to rest with us although a bit further away.
I know nothing about seagulls other than what I have observed. I don't know about their social structures, species, sex, type, genus, sort, variety, age or even this pairs relationship to each other.
What I experienced with them was just being.
I was there to relax and they wanted to relax too. People walked by, the birds would move out of their way, and then come right back to lay down again.
It was nice.
So, did we know each other? No
But, did we
know each other? For a moment, yes
.
