There's a dove that has a nest on the column under my front porch. She has actually raised about 6 sets of babies throughout the course of the summer and we have really enjoyed watching her do her job. She has taught me so much along the way...
1) She's not worrying that her nest is not the nicest, prettiest, coolest, awesomest nest in the neighborhood. It shelters her family, keeps them warm and safe and dry...and that's enough.
2) She's not stressing that she's screwing up her children by not giving them this toy or that lesson or that they aren't always busy with the other chicks in town.
3) Her days are spent making sure they are safe...even if it means sitting on her nest for days at a time. She's not grumping that she gets no "Me Time", that she needs a break, that sitting on eggs when out of style 30 years ago. She allows their needs to become her focus.
4) She knows what her babies need and provides what is necessary. She doesn't listen to the other doves or ask if 'this' is normal or if they thought 'that' was okay...she just observes their needs and fulfills them. With no need to apologize to anyone.
5) She teaches them everything they need to know about life...about where to find the food and the water and the twigs. She teaches them that no one else is going to do this for them, so they need to work for themselves.
6) When the time comes, she sits back and lets them fly out of the nest. She doesn't freak out and pad the surrounding area and provide a safety net or hold them back in the nest by their tail feathers...she watches them with confidence as they take those first steps of freedom.
That little momma dove could teach us all a lesson or two.
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