Becky the Dove: A Story of 24 Little Hours
Lessons come in all forms. Today's lesson came through a dove I named Becky.
Meet mom, Jeff, and Becky, the mourning doves who are nesting in the eaves outside our living room window:
As you can see from their size (this picture was taken two days ago), Jeff and Becky are getting big and there is not enough room in the nest for everyone all at once. I've watched several dove moms and this one is a particularly patient and sweet one, but I suspect that even she was hoping that her fledglings might be ready to fly.
Well, as it turned out, yesterday was the big day. I had seen activity around the nest all day. You see, now that the kids are bigger, dad is suddenly interested in them, so he and mom were both pacing the eves around the kids. Suddenly, I looked back at the nest and saw just Becky there, alone.
I went outside and walked around the corner to see mom and dad proudly watching Jeff. He had flown down from the nest and was walking curiously on the ground, exploring his strange new world. I swear to you that dad was puffing out his chest a bit with pride. Clearly, this was a happy moment for the family.
Becky, however, didn't join Jeff. She paced near the nest and looked down worriedly. I could hear her thoughts, "I can't do it! I can't do it!" Mom came back to the nest and tried to encourage her, but Becky was scared. Trying to fly was just too much for her. Meanwhile, dad stayed with Jeff. I was glad he wasn't at the nest, because I could just imagine how he might berate Becky, telling her that it was no big deal and she should just jump down now. (Nah, I don't project my familial issues -- never!)
Mom left again and Becky was alone, looking a little lost and anxious. I was back inside now, standing by the window, watching her. Kathy joined me and before we knew it, we were talking to her. "It's okay, Becky. Today is not your day to fly. You'll have your day. We think you are doing really well." I like to think Becky could feel our good thoughts. After all, we're the people who congratulated her mom and gave her the thumbs up when Becky and Jeff hatched. We've been rooting for them all along.
Well, today, what do you know...it was Becky's day. She was ready and she flew down from the nest to join her brother. All she needed was a little bit of time to find her own way. Good job, Becky!
You know, only last week, I was lying on the sofa, feeling as though I'd never do anything again. Extreme fatigue from chemo left me debilitated and my emotional well-being was starting to suffer. I had a list of calls to make and I could not make a single one; they seemed complicated and overwhelming. I couldn't help but wonder, what is WRONG with me that I can't make a simple phone call? They are important calls; why can't I make them? Unable to come up with an answer, I spent my time berating myself for becoming such a lazy person and I worried what sort of future I could ever have.
And then this morning, I woke up and made seven phone calls as though it was nothing. My energy had returned, my head was clear, and making the calls seemed entirely within the scope of my abilities. I might not have even noticed the change if I hadn't watched Becky the Dove. It's clear to me now that today was my day. I just needed to be patient with the process.
I think I'm going to spend some time reflecting on these questions: When is it "my day" and time to celebrate? How can I tell when it is simply not my day and I need to stop pushing? What might life be like if I allowed just a little more patience to come in?
Let me know what you find out if you mull over these questions, too.
In the meantime: Go, Becky, go! You RULE!
Similar yarns
Technorati Tags: Cancer Journey- ‹ previous
- 162 of 409
- next ›
Post new comment