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Every day for the last three weeks, my family and I have watched excitedly as the new occupants of our patio chose a nesting site and created their family. We will call our doves Helen and Bob. Within 48 hours of choosing the top of one of our patio pillars, they worked together to build the nest in a protected area atop our patio that measured no more than 6" x 5". Bob would bring the twigs while Helen would meticulously arrange them in the proper order to create a wonderful nest for their offspring. Next the eggs were laid in the nest by Helen while Bob watched intently nearby. Bob would occasionally relieve Helen from her duties by watching over the nest while she went to get nourishment. After a few days, hatching occurred. We were excited to see the little heads pop up and try to move their beaks but, no sound coming out yet. We were pretty sure that there were initially two offspring, but we believe that sadly one died shortly thereafter. We used binoculars while standing inside our family room, peering out the window without disturbing the process but observing it in amazement. We would watch Helen leave the nest, retrieve food, return to the nest, only to have her baby fully extend its neck completely inside of Helen's beak to feast on what Mom brought back. This occurred for a couple of days until one day we panicked seeing that in the middle of the afternoon there was no adult in the nest, just the newborn. What was happening? Did Helen abandon her offspring? Did something happen to Baby Robert? Well, Helen had it under control; she was teaching her child how to be alone. We found Helen and Bob at a safe distance on the other side of our patio where their child could not see them, but they could keep a close watch. Wow, amazing instincts we are witnessing every day in this process. So now at this point, Baby Robert is being taught how to fly. OK, so there were a few smushed beaks in the process as Robert flew straight into the side of the house and got a wakeup call, sadly several times. Diligence prevailed and Robert's technique improved every day. Sadly, once Baby Robert learned to fly, the family has moved on and we no longer see them. It feels like a loss. We were a part of the beginning of their family and they left without so much as a good-bye. We hope they are happy and doing well. So the purpose of my story? When was the last time you remember stopping the normal routine and witnessing something absolutely amazing that to some may seem trite or unimportant but to you was spectacular? Have you ever watched a spider spin a web? Would you take time out from your busy schedule, your computer or phone, or the TV to witness real life small miracles happening in your backyard? Sure, we could look this up on YouTube and probably see a 90 second video which has been sped up to show the process, but would that be the same? Your answer to that question should be "No." How much are we missing in our lives because we are too busy to stop and appreciate the small wonders happening around us every day? If we took time to just sit in our backyard, at the park or even on a local restaurant patio and just observed nature, would we maybe have more appreciation for what has been provided to us? Would we be just a little more thankful for what we do have, rather than focus on what we do not have? Give it a try. Unplug for a day, join with others, and enjoy the natural beauty and small miracles happening around you. And.....today yet another Mom and Dad dove have decided to build a nest in our gutter not far from Nest #1. Guess word got out in the dove community that the Dabal's are very hospitable. Looking forward to watching yet another family be created. What will you see when you plug back into nature? Thank you for looking at the topic of small miracles......From The Positive Perspective.
Stay well.
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