Have you ever watched babies learn to fly from the nest?
The mother assumes the position of teacher.
If you have never had the opportunity to have a bird make a nest out side your window then this may not make sense, however I am going to assume you have for the purpose of this story!
Being a founder in TLR has made so many things come to light that previously I was part of but not living. I love the experiences that it is giving and I welcome the ones yet to come. Let me explain.
Recently I was having coffee on the lanai and a Dove flew up and sat on the banister looking at me. Now I must tell you that I have a bunch of plants and flowers on the lanai. She just sat there and watched me drink my coffee, never bothering to fly away. I finished my coffee and went in.
Later that day I was straightening the bed room and I heard a cooing and I thought what in the world is that? I open the blind to see her out there next to my Rosemary tree, hiding in the corner and then her mate over in a near by tree. They did this all day. I did not bother them.
This behavior went on for a week or two maybe. I would go out and water the plants and things and they would not fly away. Hummm this was strange to me. After about two weeks of this I was looking out and saw some twigs in a hanging basket Christmas Cactus. I watch patiently. Here they came with more. Both of them.
Now I went out to get something and the one made a noise and then the other flew in, I guess to see if I was hurting the first one. I made no effort to mess with them and they went about their business building the nest. A few days past and then one was there all the time.
So life was good and she was setting. Watching her became part of my day and that is when I realized that she was not leaving the nest. One day I was looking at her and realized that she did not look the same, the markings were different. How could this be?
After watching awhile (a few days) I realized that the dad was coming and sitting on the mom’s eggs so she could go do what she needed to do. WOW……I would love to see that……..well the next day I did. I caught the change of the guard.
The life of these two doves went on for about two weeks and then…………………it was baby day!
As the days went by, mom and dad dove brought the babies food and they spent the night with them. Mom in the nest and Dad in the tree close by.
The days went by and it seemed like they grew over night to a nice size. WOW how fast these babies grow. Much like us we grow when it seems no one is looking, but fear not it shows.
One morning I woke up and heard some noise coming from the area outside the window where the babies were. I peaked out the window to see………….
Momma dove flying back and forth from the nest to the rail to the tree just outside the lanai. One stretched his wings………. the other sat down. The next thing you know it flew to the rail and then the tree. Gone was that baby……….now there was one! The momma kept visiting all through the day and trying to get the other baby to go with her. Later that evening the other one came back with mom and dad, it flew to the nest and sat for a few minutes then off it went and the second went with it!
They were gone! The nest is empty……mom returned several times to the nest to make sure they were not there and the story ends there. The lesson here is clear………..hope you learned from it.
The Leaders