Nancy Stewart

A Bird in the Family Nancy Stewart

This is a story about a unique experience our family had when the children were the perfect ages. We were gifted a very special baby pigeon by a friend, David McKelvey, who was an experienced animal enthusiast with whom we crossed paths. Through his gift, he gave our children extraordinary knowledge, experience, joy, and courage that has been prevalent throughout their lives. Our baby pigeon, Maggie, was unusual from the beginning, including his name. Maggie's antics entertained and mystified our family for his entire time with us. How many pigeons befriend a cat? How many pigeons successfully live on a sailboat? The entertainment and education this bird provided was ceaseless. Maggie's lessons to our children have influenced them their whole lives. They have learned to appreciate wildlife, accept diversity in humans and animals, and develop confidence and self-esteem from this experience. These are skills not commonly learned from a pigeon.