June 1, 2009

This little guy is tough. I found him on the ground beside our entrance, where his mommy and daddy worked so hard to build their nest. I quickly made the decision to pick him up and put him back in the nest, since the outside cats were roaming around close by. Luckily the mommy and daddy bird didn't abandon him, after I'd messed with him.

They've fed him and watched over him diligently. And I've picked him back up and put him in the nest a total of four times now. Somewhere in his trial flights, he has ended up breaking one of his little legs badly. And I know that the end for him is probably very close. I'm not sure how much longer his mommy and daddy will take care of him, and sometime soon, I may not be around to pick him up and put him back in his nest, before the cats find him.

It breaks my heart. And yet, watching this little family of birds grow and take care of each other, has reminded me of one very important lesson . . .

Ultimately, my responsibility is to God and my family. Not to community events, or my friends near and far in blog land, or even my own selfish desires.

Without God and the support of family, we would never be able to spread our wings and fly. Even if it's only for a few trial flights. To just get off the ground, is a miracle in and amongst itself, and at least this little guy got to experience the feeling of soaring, if only for a few short moments in time . . . Godspeed my little friend.

*I believe this little bird is a Phoebe. I'm not 100% sure though.