| The shelter of his wings |
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For many years our garden has been blessed with a beautiful pair of mating pigeons. We have seen them collecting bits and pieces to make and line their nests. Later we’ve seen them flying back and forth with food for their young, and watched as they taught the fledglings to fly. Then, one day, my husband called me into the garden. There were a lot of feathers lying around and no sign of the pigeons. Then we spotted one, I think the female, crouched down under a shrub. Thinking she might be injured, we tried coaxing her out with a dish of water and some bread. We left the bread and water and occasionally went to see if she had come out. Next morning we checked and saw that some of the bread had been eaten and the water dish was nearly empty. She was nowhere to be seen, but we noticed the door to a small lean-to greenhouse ajar and there she was, sitting inside. We transferred the food and water to there. That night I felt easier about leaving her as at least she had shelter if a hungry fox passed by. Next day she ventured out. I watched from the kitchen doorway as she gingerly took a few steps, always keeping close to the wall. I was elated to see her foraging for herself and only wished to see her fly. That afternoon I was delighted to see her mate sitting on top of the fence. The female made no attempt to join him until he suddenly flew down into next door’s garden, out of sight. She immediately flew to the fence and looked down, then the male flew to the top of another neighbour’s shed and the female joined him there. It was like old times seeing them happily cavorting together. That evening I went to check and once again found the female, alone, and returned to her hole under the holly bush. That night I slept uneasily and in the morning my husband was the first into the garden where he found no pigeon, just a garden full of feathers. I was heartbroken. That afternoon the male came again but this time there was no female to greet him. He came again each afternoon for three days, then no more. It’s only conjecture, but I believe the male had not deserted her in her time of trouble, but had gone to look for a safer place for them both. Athough she was glad to see him, she was too timid to follow him when he called her to go with him. If only she had had the courage to follow where he led, she would still be alive and he would not be grieving for his lost partner. It got me to thinking. Are we like that when God calls us to follow where he leads? Will we go with him and trust him to lead us to a safe haven, even though we are scared and nervous of the unknown? Or will we stay and take our chances…? By Jo Otero |
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