Musings of a Mother Bird

Home is oft likened to a nest. I love this imagery. I once had the lovely experience of watching a busy mother bird nesting in one of our front trees - I was just like her I thought (at that time I only had 3 young children, pregnant with our fourth). She had 3 chicks in the nest, she would fly off hunting for food, come back, feed one, fly off, feed the next, fly off, come back, feed the next and so on, never resting - well there didn't seemed to be much room in the nest for 3 growing chicks and her! I was exhausted just watching her!


Isn't it beautiful how nature gives us a reality check! At that time I was a busy mother of 3 and trying desperately to keep connected with many other interests and activities- feeling just like that mother bird, exhausted from the raw energy needed just to keep my chicks alive. After watching and learning from this little mother bird, I was able to let go of all other activities, resting in the knowledge that there are seasons in our parenting lives where the demands of our children are and must be all consuming!


My problem has never been motivation, my problem is saying no to too much activity! Thankfully my chicks have grown, not flown the coop yet and there is a season and space again for having other interests and appropriate involvements.


If you are in the season of still feeding chicks in the nest, embrace it, for soon they shall fly away and we'll be left with an empty nest!