This Little Bird Flew from the Nest

By Lori Merrill

For almost an hour I watched this little guy try to find his way home; back into the safety of his parent’s nest. It was while I watered one of my hanging plants that I unintentionally disrupted his morning. He flew right over my head and into our pool. After rescuing him from the pool he hopped into some plants around our fish pond and then hid there until his parents called him out. I watched and listened while they fluttered and chirped all around him, drawing him close to the nest. He was obviously frightened and shaking when I snapped this photo. He couldn’t get back into the nest in my plant because it was too high for his unskilled wings. He had not mastered flying yet.

Interestingly enough, this happened about an hour before I was to take my youngest to college. As I watched and listened to this scenario play out, I couldn’t help but think how ironic it was for this to be happening just before I was to move all of my daughter’s clothes into her dorm and say my good-byes to her. My daughter was leaving our nest just as this little bird left his parent’s nest. They, as well as I, were doing all they could do to get their little guy to safety. As I thought about him I thought about my own children as we have taken each one to college:

Are they ready to leave?
Are their wings skilled to fly on their own?
Have they mastered flying?
Will they be safe?
Do they want to return to the nest?
When they stray do I sound like these bird parents? (Chirping frantically trying to draw them back to the nest and to safety)

I then put on my gardening gloves so I could gently pick him up. Just as I reached for him he fluttered away and hid under a bush. I was reminded of how much we must hurt God’s heart so often.

He draws us to Himself
Even calls out loudly
Sometimes He so gently guides us out of a situation
Only for us to respond with—”I know better”
Or we aren’t patient enough to wait for His best
So we flit on with our own plans and try to make it on our own

“Mom, Mom, are you going to be ready?” Brooke asked with a hint of concern. I was still in my pajamas, standing at the window, staring, a mug of tea in my hand; wrapped up in my own conversation with God and this drama outside my window.

I wanted to go out and make this bird take my help, but I couldn’t. He wouldn’t respond to my soothing voice, my guidance, or my aching heart for him or his parents. So, I had to walk away and trust in the Truths that I know.