Our Little Bird

OUR LITTLE BIRD From the moment she could toddle in the grass…before she said one word… she would stand in her front yard and point up at the birds. Watching their daughter smile when she saw the birds resting or in flight… her parents filled her room with bird books they read to her each night. They weren’t even upset…nor did they think it a bit absurd… when, instead of mama or dada…the first word she said…was bird. One night, after they finished reading and began to tuck her into bed… with a smile on her face their daughter looked at them…and said: “Mom, Dad! Do you know what I want to be when I finally grow?” They sat down on the bed next to her saying, “Tell us…we’d like to know.” She sat up all excited…then announced emphatically, “I’m pretty sure…when I grow up…a bird is what I want to be!” “I want to be like all the other birds I see in the trees and in the sky. I want to be the kind of bird who spreads her wings…and flies!” Smiling at each other, “That’s a wonderful dream.” Her parents said then they kissed her on the forehead and tucked her into bed. A parent’s responsibilities are many…it’s a blessing…and a chore… when to bring their children down to Earth…when to let their imaginations soar. Knowing how much she loved birds since the moment her little life began They talked it over that night…and came up with a plan. The next morning they handed her a helmet… when she stepped out of her bed. “Get dressed as quickly as you can.” They said. “And when you’re dressed put this helmet on your head.” As they turned to leave the room…their daughter asked them why… “Because,” they smiled, “we have a lot of work to do… if we’re going to teach you how to fly.