Birds and Orchids

To compare birds and orchids --

One has the ability of flight. To fly away at any time and rush back in with force.
One topples the other in terms of sheer numbers and diversity.
Both can be found at just about any place in the world, no matter how severe the conditions.
Both are beautiful, soft to the touch. Silken. Curved edges.
Both have their own means of self-defense.
One blooms and also lays dormant for long periods of time. But it's beauty is still admired through its slumber.
One creates a nest so it can come home to something.
One eats daily, searching the land for new food.
One rests, waiting patiently for the next meal. Getting all it needs in short bursts.
One is calm. And quiet.
One is fast-moving. And often noisy.

They have evolved like everything else.

I sit in a stool and look though a window. A yellow orchid sits in the sill. The sun creates a glow on the petals.
A small bird flies into my line of sight. He is moving his head back and forth with great speed, as if looking for something.
He looks like he is in a hurry. Impatient. Unable to stand still. Ah, the things he must be able to see. His unique view of the world. She basks. She is calm. Breathing. Still. And I, all of a sudden, begin to feel sorry for the bird. If only he could bask. If only he could stop for a moment and breathe. Sitting in all that he has experienced. And I, all of a sudden, begin to feel sorry for the orchid. If only she could fly. If only she could escape the sill and see the world from the clouds. Feeling the rush of energy. To be a bird and an orchid.

The wind touches them both.
The wind leaps over the sill and touches my face.