The Birdbath

They birdbath in my backyard draws an infinite variety of bids, including a pair of bright red cardinals, blue jays, black and orange grosbeaks, and numerous small colorful birds. They drink from it and bathe in it, and it never ceases to amaze me how, with the exception of one big, fat robin who like to claim it for himself long enough to have a good soak, they share it equitably. A bird’s life is fraught with constant danger. They are ever on the lookout for predators. The slightest movement and they take off in a split second to fly to the safety of a nearby tree. And they seem to have some of the same parenting problems that we have had. I watched a mother robin try to teach her fledgling to feed himself. She would drop a worm on the ground and motion for him to pick it up, but he ignored her until she finally picked it up and stuffed it into his mouth. As a mother myself, I could feel her frustration. All the while the father bird was in a tree watching for predators. As dangerous as this world is God has given them the means to survive and find joy in being alive. The air is filled with their songs, and they fly about with grace and extraordinary precision and control. God has blessed them richly.

gracedeacon@gwi.net