Three years ago today my beautiful blue baby girl, Miss Maggie, came home and my heart was filled with joy because a dream had been fulfilled. The week prior, I found Maggie on a board and the person who had her wanted a Palm Cockatoo instead, she was in Arizona and I rushed to get all the things she needed to my home, I got the cage, perches, macadamias, etc. and then we waited for that day.
Saturday, November 22, 2008 Maggie (then Venus) left Arizona in the morning and arrived in Illinois by afternoon. Joel and I drove to Ohare Airport, my heart was racing, my hands were sweaty, and the tears were welling up, all the while I was wondering what the future would hold for us and how this soul would become a part of our family. First contact! The baggage handler brought out this dog carrier, the front was covered with a towel and taped down, I rushed to take the tape off and there was this beautiful face—this beautiful blue face with those huge dark eyes, the tears came forward and a smile with those tears, my dream had been accomplished thanks to my grandmother who I named Maggie after.
We brought Maggie home and got her into her cage and within moments I handed her a mac nut which she eagerly accepted, Joel followed and she wove her life into ours. The phone was ringing—calls from dear friends and family confirming her arrival and the day was one of the most momentus of my life and changed my future. Maggie became a central force in my life, and to this day I cannot believe she is home with me and that I share my life with a Hyacinth. People, time, places, etc., all change but somewhere along the path of life we strive to find an anchor—something or someone that focuses us, that is there when we need them—Maggie has become that in my life, she makes me smile everyday and she has changed my life in so many different ways.
Maggie has changed how I view many things in my life, especially aviculture—I no longer feel that one is good, and more is better—I honestly see the day coming when I seek the perfect home for my other birds and devote my spare time to her and other pleasures and endeavors. I have begun to realize that life with a special macaw can be rewarding and that I shouldnt feel the need to have a variety of birds to justify my presence in aviculture—there are many people with one bird—a very lucky bird that is the center of their companion humans life that enjoy prosperous and rewarding lives, Maggie will be that macaw for me.
My beautiful blue baby, you have made your dad's life a pleasure, you have lived up to and surpassed every dream he had of sharing his life with a Hyacinth, there are only a few phrases that can express the way I feel... Thank You! You are one of the loves of my life, and you make everyday special for me—your companion human loves you so very, very much and looks forward to a long life together.
