Teach Them to Fly

Once there was a mama bird.  She had two little baby birds in her nest.  She worked and worked at keeping them safe and helping them to grow.  She was there when they were pecking and pecking to get out of their hard egg shells...rooting them on and cheering when a little piece would fall away.  She was there when they were crying of hunger, fed them and then taught them how to hunt for food on their own. She would kiss the hurt away when they fell and got hurt, or were hurt by others.  Day by day she loved and loved them and  prayed they would always know it.

One day she came to realize her birdies were no longer small, and that the time had come to encourage them to venture out and try their wings.  They had been in the nest so long and it was comfortable there for all of them.  They all had their routines, and they all knew what to do with each day.  Their wing feathers were beginning to sing....and the song needed wind to be full.  So gathering up her courage, mama bird set the first birdie on the edge of the nest and with encouragement told her to fly.  The birdie teetered and tottered and then fell out....Mama birdie's heart felt like it would explode as she watched her baby birdie take flight and her beautiful wings spread and sing broadly the new song of independence.  Soon it was time for her youngest birdie to do the same. With tears in her eyes again, she placed him on the edge of the nest and encouraged him into the wind.  The same thing happened...and the song was sung again.

As mothers we spend our children's lives keeping them safe from evil that is all around. We protect them when they fall and when others threaten their happiness.  We anguish when they make choices other than what we would have done...and we sorrow to the depths of our souls when they cry.  We start young pushing them out of the nest...we teach them to self sooth to sleep through the night as newborns; we teach them to pee on the potty and not in their pants; we teach them to share and to go to school to learn.  Eventually we have to let go.....and let them soar. Our job is not done, as many think, it is just taking on different meaning.  Teach your children to fly - the song is definitely worth hearing.