The Little Bird that Could

I have an animal friendly yard. Much to my dismay.

It’s not that I have anything against animals per se. It’s just that they scare the daylights out of me every time I open the door. And I mean that literally.

I first noticed the robin’s nest the day it got warm enough to open the patio door. I about had a heart attack. Right there on top of the patio light was a bird sitting in a nest.

I thought it was cute, for about a minute, until it became evident that my life was in danger of the mama robin.

Still, I felt like an abortionist getting rid of the nest, so I endured the pain in my chest each time I tried to walk out on my patio.

It was the day that I saw 2 more nests on the light fixtures outside my front door that I lost it. I’d had it. It was down to the wire. Either they stay or I stay.

But I was too afraid to move the nests. What if the mama robin saw me. What if she put a bounty on my head. I remembered the old Hitchcock movie and bristled. I had to come up with a better solution.

And I did. One day as I was sitting on my desk pondering my plight I saw the lawn guys show up to trim my hedges. In a moment of brilliance I touted their masculinity and begged them to remove the nests that were causing me much havoc in life. I could see the fear in their eyes. But even I could hear the challenge in my words.

It took 3 of them and one watching to remove the nests. We all sighed in relief when the mama bear didn’t attack. The next morning I thanked the God above for giving back my home without a battle or a scar.

A week passed. Every morning brought signs of new spring and the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors in my domain. The birds tweeted. The squirrels scurried. Even the occasional owl hooted. All was well.

Until I saw it. That darned nest sitting on my light fixture right outside my front door.

The anger swelled inside me. It threatened to bubble over. How dare she invade my domain? How dare she disregard my attempts at peace? How dare she cross my path?

I stormed out and got my hands on the closest weapon I could find: a leaf blower. I huffed and I puffed and I blew the nest down, almost taking the house along with it.

I smiled the smile of one who finally figured out that humans rank higher than birds in the tree of life.

I went back inside and read for a while. Thirty minutes went by. At first not a sound, not a peep could be heard. But soon I noticed the flutter of a wing. A stealth attack was on the way, of that I was certain.

I waited. Then I risked my life to circle the house and see what the bird kingdom could be up to.

Then I saw it.

It couldn’t be real. I rubbed my eyes. I pinched my arm. Was I asleep? Or could this be real?

Indeed it was real. The mama bird had built herself another little nest right where I had destroyed her last.

I didn’t need a leaf blower this time. The steam from my head was enough to destroy it.

Until I drove back from work and lo and behold, again.

The Robin had won. The bird’s nest remained.

And I of all people have learned: It’s not to the strong that victory is given.

It’s to the one that endures to the end.

Related posts: