The Nest

I saw this quote the other day

Those who admire the freedom of birds, have never built a nest

I've thought about this saying a lot these last few days. In the spring, we had a bird make a nest in the tree right out our kitchen window. We enjoyed admiring it and seeing the tiny blue eggs inside. If you know anything about Lehi, you are aware that we can get mighty winds. One morning in mid-May, after a particularly strong windstorm, we went out to look at the tree and see the nest. We were sure the nest wouldn't be there, or certainly the eggs would have blown out. We were surprised that not only was everything intact, but that the eggs had hatched and we now had baby birds in the nest! Of course, everyone wanted to see them and admire them. We all agreed that they were just ugly enough to be cute! Newborn birds are so tiny and just a little fuzz on them. The mother bird was very protective of her babies, however, and didn't appreciate us all trying to get a glance. She started chirping very loudly, and swooping down very close to our heads! We put the ladder away, deciding we would leave them alone. For the next several days, if we were even in the vicinity, she would spy us form wherever she was perched and come swooping down yelling very loudly at us! The kids were afraid to go anywhere near the nest - Savanna just about couldn't get the lawn mowed.



Well, that hovering, protective mother took good care of her babies - keeping them safe from wind and rain and storms (and humans) - feeding and loving them. Then, not too much later, those baby birds had grown big and strong enough and learned to fly. They left the coziness of the only home they'd ever known and took off for greater adventures. The mom was proud of them, I'm sure, but it had to be hard for her to see them go.

I hope that the nest we are building for our kids is a strong one - one that will keep them safe from all the storms of life. I hope it's one they long for and a place they want to be - where they feel loved, and wanted, and accepted. I hope it's one of peace. And when it's time for them to spread their wings and fly - it will be very hard for us to let them go. Hopefully we've taught them well and they're ready to face what's ahead for them. But until then - we will hover over them and keep them safe and guard them from the wind and rain and storms. We will love them and teach them and protect them - until they are ready to begin building their own nest.