Page 77 - July ONLINE VERSION

Kindness Kicking In told me they either wouldn't accept wildlife, or they as it took wing to the sky. I can't say for sure whether
it was Macaroni, but I won't discount the possibility,
were at capacity for injured birds, and to try some-
Sydney Schoone where else. I was beginning to fear I wouldn't find and I kept the petal until it crumbled from age.
anywhere to take him, when finally, a wildlife center
two hours away from my home said they would be I think about this experience, and what the man at
Have you ever seen someone stuck in a moment of I've been crying or in distress, and she has come to happy to. I felt instant relief, and joy that I would be the front desk said often; "Not many people would go
sadness, panic or grief, and just somehow knew with- lay next to me and rest her head on my leg, looking able to keep helping this baby robin. I told my co- so out of their way for a baby robin." Maybe he was
in you that you should help them? Whether it was to up with those beautiful eyes, with what I can only workers the good news, and they were excited for us. right, maybe not (although I'd like to think that most
provide a sense of comfort, camaraderie or even just assume is empathy shining in them. She makes me They asked me if I had picked out a name for him - people would hopefully take their time to help an
a presence to be around, to listen to their hardship feel that whatever negative thing is happening will which, I hadn't thought to name the robin, but it was injured animal). I just know that I had to help Maca-
and let them know that everything will eventually turn around and work itself out. I truly believe that around lunchtime that day and I was feeling hungry, roni, and fortunately he was able to make it out of his
be, okay? That instinct within you was your kindness animals reciprocate the kindness we show to them. so I decided on Macaroni. hardship. What if I were in his position, and needed
kicking in - and that's one of life's greatest gifts. someone to help me? What if nobody did? Where
In 2017, I was working part time in the garden- Once my shift was over, I loaded Macaroni into my would the world be without simple acts of kindness?
Kindness is about doing the right thing in the mo- ing center of a national hardware chain store. One car and drove home to pick up my younger sister,
ment it's presented, without hesitation, or needing morning, I was working in the heat of the summer who was very much down for assisting a bird I found Kindness is something that can be activated at any
praise and accolades for what you've done. There's no loading pallets of pebbles and mulch for customers in my place of employment's garden center, so we hit time, and I truly hope that people consider doing so
need for a reward, or even a "thank you" - you sim- to purchase into the metal bays outdoors. As I was the road! On the way up, we did periodic check-ins more often. With that in mind, there are still people
ply help. For me personally, I think of it as a sense of pushing a pallet of red mulch into place, I heard a on Macaroni. He was curled up in the towel with his today that ask, "Why did you it?" when it comes to
"I've been in their shoes, and I know they need help, very faint sound that I initially thought was a whistle eyes closed, breathing softly; I think he was sleeping helping others and displaying a certain level of kind-
so I'll do what I can to assist them." I've always felt coming from the bay. I took a look to the left of the off the pain. I wished I could have found him a place ness. It seems funny to me that someone would even
this innate need to serve others (and perhaps that is pallet, where I located a tiny baby robin laying on sooner. My sister and I were excited to get him the ask that, as it should be commonplace to be kind
some admitted childhood trauma of "you'd better do the ground. Birds often built their nests in the metal help he needed. - treat others the way you would like to be treated,
what I tell you to do" resurfacing, but I've been trying rafters above the bays, so it was common to find baby right? However, for me, the answer comes as natural-
to mold that into something positive), so when I see birds here and there that would eventually make their Two hours later, we finally arrived at the wildlife cen- ly as it always does: "It was the right thing to do."
someone in need, I'm going to do my best to help. ways back into their nests. I figured the same would ter. I had never actually been to one before, but this
happen for this one, however as I got closer, I noticed one was a lovely wooden plank building with beauti-
I didn't have the best time growing up. Making one of his wings was bent and not held close to his ful wildflowers and grasses lining it, a little retaining Sydney Schoone
friends was difficult, as the kids in school bullied me body like the other was - it was broken. pond nearby, and a charming sign out front letting
for nearly everything: my parents being divorced, my us know all animals were welcome. We went inside Kenosha,
love of anime and reading, being taller than everyone My immediate thought was "I need to help him", and and the man at the desk had me fill out a form stating Wisconsin
else, even having asthma. Anything about me, my life then I could feel the kindness kicking in. I knew I what we were bringing in and why. When he read it, Sydney has a BA
or my character was a target. I didn't feel much love had read somewhere that you shouldn't touch a baby he looked at me and said, "Not many people would in English and a
coming from my peers, and I felt alone and scared bird if it falls out of its nest, but with the broken wing go so out of their way for a baby robin." He took Creative Writing
for most of my life. I'd like to think that my empathy and his teeny tiny chirps for help, I felt that I couldn't Macaroni and handed him off to one of the medics,
stems from that - I see someone dealing with what just leave him there. I called over one of my manag- and we went back to my car and drove home. Certificate from the
I've dealt with, so it drives me to assist them. I never ers to see what I should do. He told me that it was no University of
want anybody to have to continue to feel the way I've use, and I should probably just throw the robin in the Not long after giving Macaroni over to the center, Wiscosin-Parkside.
felt. trash. I wouldn't stand for any of that! I found a small the center gave me email updates on his condition. She loves to write
cardboard box and placed a soft towel in it, then gen- His wing was in fact broken, and it turns out that if poetry and short
While I didn't feel the love from my classmates, I cer- tly scooped the soft, downy baby into it. Once he was he was just left by the mulch palettes, he likely would personal essays. In her free time you
tainly felt it from our household pets. We had many in the box, he quieted down a bit, and I put him in a have died from his injuries. They were able to help
dogs and cats over the years, and each of them were safe location where nobody would touch him until Macaroni make a full recovery and released him back can catch her experimenting with
so cuddly, cute and comforting - especially my baby my shift was over. to the wild after a month. A few weeks shortly after, makeup artistry and cuddling with
girl, Snuggles. She's a long-haired gray cat with bright I was sitting in my parent's old backyard relaxing in her cat.
green eyes, who is so sweet and talkative. Any time Management knew what I was doing, so thankfully the sun, when I saw a beautiful, red-breasted robin
I have a bad day, she is always there to jump into my they let me take a break and make a few calls to local perched on one of the wooden posts that sectioned
lap and start purring, letting me know that every- vets and shelters to see if there was somewhere I off my parent's garden. It had a flower petal in its
thing is alright. There have been plenty of times when could take him. To my surprise, every place I called beak, and it happened to drop it on our garden table

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