Yesterday, the birds were all aflutter. They were flapping their wings all morning and strutting back and forth on the little perch where they were born. From where they’ve hatched, there is a two story drop to the ground, and I had to laugh as I watched them peering warily over the precipice contemplating flight.

And then….I left the room and came back to find only one bird! I was so scared that one of the babies had attempted flight and not made it. I went running outside to check the ground. All clear. Sigh of relief. I found her (her? him? how does one know?) perched in a window about 15 feet away, across our courtyard. Then, I noticed that both the mom and dad birds were around as well. They were perched on our car port, with a direct view to the little birdies about 20 feet away.

It was flying lessons day!

Little birdie #1 spent all day flapping her wings and learning to fly. She certainly seemed proud of herself, if a bit tentative with her flight. The more interesting part of the show, however, was watching birdie #2. From the day they hatched, we noticed that birdie #1 was larger and stronger than #2. Aren’t we all different from the moment we are born?

And so, birdie #2 spent the day watching her sibling. She poked her head about, looked down at the drop often, and sat…and waited. She somehow knew, intuitively, that she wasn’t yet ready for flight and she respected the process and the limitations of her still-forming body. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could all accept ourselves and our development this gracefully?

I’ve been amazed by this process. How do these birdies know when it’s time to go? How do they have the faith to leap, literally, from a two story window and assume that they can fly? How do they take that first step? These, of course, are the same questions that we all must ask of ourselves on our journeys through life, and that we must face as we wrestle with obstacles, accomplishments, and faith.

So, birdie #2 spent the day watching her sibling and admiring her efforts. When it got dark and she got ready to sleep, I was sad for her. Her sibling was nowhere to be seen…and after weeks with her mommy and her sibling, she was suddenly alone. But, then birdie #1 came home to sleep beside her sibling and the two have been happily flapping about today.

Hopefully, birdie #2 will soon realize that she is ready, as well, to fly away and their lives will begin outside of the sweet little nest where it all started.

Fly well little birdies! Thank you for the invaluable lessons that you’ve been teaching me about parenting, nurturing, strength and self awareness.