Twenty more days and our daughter will be graduating high school. It feels so much more official now that she has her cap and gown! We are now moving into the “empty nest” phase of life. We are excited and fearful all at the same time.
As I look at the bluebird nest in our back yard, I think of all the potential dangers the feisty parents have to fight off. Snakes, rats, wrens, raccoons, cats, possums, just to name a few are always on the prowl looking for their next easy meal. I have been watching the nest, which has gone from one to two to three, and now back down to two eggs. Somehow we let the predators in. And where they have found a food source, they are likely to come back to finish their plate. All we can do is pray for the safety of these last two babies.
As our daughter prepares to leave the safety of our nest and moves out on her own, I worry about the possible predators that could endanger her future. Have we prepared her well enough to ward off these potential hazards? Is she gullible or sensible? Will she remember what we have taught her, and even more importantly, will she embrace these teachings? Will she make it through this phase of life and into adulthood relatively unscathed? As the bluebird mom and dad attempted to scare me off as I checked the nest, I wondered whether we as parents have been as watchful. Have we protected her when she needed it most, when she could potentially shatter, while guiding her gently to the place where she is ready to leave the nest? We can relate to most parents of an 18-year-old woman/child. We love the woman she is becoming, but still see the child in her eyes.
Another interesting fact about bluebirds (and many birds for that matter) is that the parents continue to feed their young after they leave the nest. Their home shifts from the comfort of a dry and sheltered nestbox to the trees, bushes, and grass that surrounds the vicinity. The fledglings are even more susceptible to predators at that point, but the parents maintain a watchful eye while teaching them how to search for their own food. Hmmm. This sounds a lot like our oldest who left home and started a family of his own, yet still comes back for a home cooked meal. I’m so glad they do, and I hope our daughter will do the same.