Brave Little Duckling

Listen carefully, this is an Easter story, a Spring tale of an adopted duckling. 

A little duckling was using all its energy to emerge out of its broken egg. As he took his first little steps out of his shell, he instinctively started looking for his mother. But the duck mother was nowhere to be found. The little duckling was lost without the protection of his mom. All he wanted was to follow the footsteps of his Mom. To his luck, there was a kind young girl sitting on a bench with her best friend, watching intently the struggle of this little duckling. As she started walking away from the creek, this little guy sensed the vibrations of her footsteps and something inside him made him follow her. 

The little girl was surprised and confused. "Mom, he is following me everywhere. What do I do?", she asked her own mother. They both decided to let the little guy follow them to their house. They let him be in their backyard, waiting and watching every move of the new born baby. He found his own food, his adopted mother gave him some water and it was a happy little life for the duckling. He had after all found a mother who cared!

The little girl wanted to take a break to go do her human duties, while her Mom waited with the little duckling to let him know that its not getting orphaned. In those 5 minutes that his adopted Mom was away, the little duckling felt like his world was over. He cried and cried and cried, with an immense intensity that only a baby left alone, uncared for, can cry. Nature had its ears open and a flock of hawks and other predatory birds started circling the duckling. They had just found a delicious little snack, a meal that was unguarded. So they thought...

Soon enough, the duckling's adopted Mom came back and relieved the duckling of it's anxiety and fear. "I am here for you, little one", she assured him. 

With a new found boldness that comes from security alone, he ventured out into the unknown world. His instincts took him back to the little creek where he was born. He started exploring and tried swimming and finding his own food for survival. All the while it would make sure that his support is standing tall in the form of his human mom. With her unspoken assurance, he learnt to swim, he learnt to survive, he learnt to make the world his own! 

A few hours passed this way, with the duckling playing and doing its work in the world. His Mom was getting ready to go back to her human life. As she gently started stepping away from the creek and from him, he came back and saw her walk away, with an unspoken gratitude in his heart. He was ready to live his life in his world, he knew he had found his way! Mother Nature was kind to provide him with a new Mom to support him, provide him the safety and security that he needed as he figured out his way in the world. 

My friend K, was a witness to this event on a beautiful Easter morning. She was the one who encouraged her daughter, D, to not abandon the little duckling. Mother Nature is a great Teacher, if you have the leisure to be present and listen to her. There was a parenting lesson here that my friend shared with me. Our job is to provide safety and security to our children as they figure out their place in the world. And when time comes, let the little one fly away, live life on his own terms, while you live with the assurance that you did your job well. A child grows on its own, the Universe provides, you the parent are merely a care taker on its journey to adulthood. Be glad you were part of their journey, but never hold them back. They are not yours! 

Blessed be.