Your Mother Is Watching

Your Mother Is Watching

?Over the course of the last few months, I’ve been cruising the animal shelter websites hard. That’s right, I think I’m just about ready to take the plunge and welcome dogs into the house. I say dogs because there’s no way I’m getting just one – it has to be two…at least two. That way when I’m away they can keep one another company and hopefully, not turn the house upside down. Sure, I could go out and just buy a dog, but I figured those dogs that are up for sale will be bought one day. The ones in the shelters, their situations are a little less secure. So, with that in mind whenever I get dogs, I’ll be bringing them home from a shelter.

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In the meantime, I have ducks and plenty of them.

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The ducks come from all over the place because, well … I feed them. Crackers, bread, seeds, corn, cereal … if you can name it chances are they’ve feasted on it a time or two. They keep coming because I feed them and I keep doing it because truth be told, they feed me too. This morning we met like we’ve done so many times before and fed one another … and it was quite the meal.

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Some days I’ll have well over 30 ducks in my backyard, and they all look alike. They all look alike but there’s one group that stands apart. It’s that family of 10 that I call The Littles. The Littles stand apart not because they look different, because as I said before, they all look the same. No, what sets them apart is the way they enter the yard and I promise you, it’s a sight to see. Each time, with the exception of once, they’ve marched into my yard in a single-file line; 9 baby ducklings following their mother.

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This morning was no different than so many before. I opened the door and walked out onto my patio and just like clockwork, The Littles came rocking back and forth in that familiar single-file line. They got to the openings on the wrought iron fence that surrounds my yard and the mother squeezed through … but the babies paused. You see, a funny thing happened over the course of the last couple of months as I fed them, and they fed me. The Littles … got big.?

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Yes, The Littles have gotten big. I’ve noticed it for quite some time and today, they did too. Whereas in times past, they’d charge headfirst behind their mother, trusting that they’d fit through those openings, today, they paused. I’m sure the mother grew a bit, making those spots a little tighter for her too. But stop and think about it … when has a tight spot ever stopped a mother?

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I guess she sensed something was a little off – isn’t it amazing how mothers can do that? She paused and turned …she was on this side while all of her children were on the other side. So, she stood there and watched. She watched as those duckling who started out oh so small but were now big, almost as big as her, cautiously dipped their bodies between the openings. Each time, each one pulled back fearful, I’m sure of getting stuck.

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Crackers were on the ground, but she stood there, watching. Other ducks were swooping in, eating their fill, but she stood there watching. One by one they poked their bodies through an opening, coming part ways through only to fall back. All the while, their mother stood there, watching. She didn’t move and I purposely threw crackers to the other side of the yard because I didn’t want any of the others to interfere. You see, I’ve seen this lesson … I was taught this lesson, I’ve had this meal, and I know the lasting impact it can have on a child.

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After what seemed like an eternity, one duckling was brave enough to push through. A few more moments passed and another one – hesitant at first – finally made his way to the other side. Another one came and then another until finally all nine stood lined up around their mother … the one who stood … watching.

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The fence isn’t that high, and I’ve actually seen the mother fly over it. That too and the circumstances surrounding it were a sight. Here’s the thing. I’ve actually seen the ducklings fly, just not over my fence. In due time, I’m sure they’ll come to realize their wings are strong enough to carry them over any obstacle standing in their way – including my fence. When that day comes, she may not be there, but they’ll fly anyway. And when they do, I’m sure they’ll understand that the reason they’re soaring, the reason they’re flying is because one day, their mother stood there…

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Watching.

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From time to time before I would leave my father’s presence, he’d advise me on what to do and what not to do. Tell me to never let anyone else influence my decisions or talk me into something I’d one day regret. Before turning away, he’d point to the sky. On one occasion he pointed skyward, and I let out a chuckle laced with resignation and said, “yeah, I know Daddy … God is watching.” To my surprise he shot back, “oh He’s watching too … but so is your mama!”

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See, up until that moment I thought all those skyward points were for God, but they were really for my mother. I knew in no way was he placing her above God … he just wanted me to remember the special way of looking that is hers and hers alone is still there.

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When you find yourself on the other side of whatever or wherever you’re trying to get to, she may not be there but if yours is like mine, you’ll feel her love … watching. And when you come to where you’re ready to fly, rejoice and remember the reason you’ll soar, the reason you’ll fly, is because one day your mother believed in and loved you enough to stand there …

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Watching.

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