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Finding a Robin’s Egg
As the sun barely peered through the branches of the tall oaks, I stepped out into the crisp morning air, eager to begin the day’s rituals. My hens, safely tucked away for the night, awaited their release into the fresh dawn. It was a routine etched into the rhythm of my daily life, a peaceful cadence that harmonized with the natural world surrounding my home.
As I approached the hen house, a peculiar sight caught my eye—a small, delicate robin’s egg lay on the ground, its blue shell vibrant against the dark soil. A wave of concern washed over me as I stooped to pick it up, half-expecting to find it damaged. Miraculously, the egg was perfect, unmarked by the ordeal of its journey to the ground. How did such a fragile thing escape unscathed?
Looking up, the towering oaks loomed overhead, their branches starting high above, too high for an egg to fall and survive. The puzzle lingered in the morning stillness. Could a mischievous squirrel or a curious crow have been the culprit, inadvertently dropping its precious cargo? The possibilities spun through my mind as I carefully cradled the tiny egg in my hands.
Determined to find a solution, I recalled the newly built robin’s nest on the wreath hanging on my studio door. Just days ago, I had marveled at the mother robin’s diligence in building her nest right there. With a heart full of hope and a dash of worry about the egg’s acceptance, I placed it beside another robin’s egg already nestled there. The questions loomed large—would the mother bird notice the difference? Would my intervention be seen as an intrusion?
These questions haunted me as I went about my day, each task tinged with a sense of anticipation and apprehension. Nature, in all its wisdom, often had its ways of sorting things out, yet the uncertainty lingered.
The following morning, I held my breath as I approached the nest. Peering inside, the sight that greeted me was nothing short of a small miracle—three eggs now lay cozily side by side. The mother robin had accepted the orphaned egg, incorporating it into her growing clutch. My heart swelled with relief and joy. Nature’s capacity for acceptance and resilience never ceased to amaze me.
Today, there are four eggs, each a promise of new life, a testament to the strength and continuity of nature. As I watch over these tiny charges from afar, respecting the robin’s space yet feeling an invisible thread of connection, I am reminded of the profound interdependence of our lives with those of the creatures with whom we share our world.
This experience, a simple yet profound interaction, deepens my resolve to live in harmony with the natural world, fostering life in all its forms. In these moments, I find the essence of my bond with nature—not just as an observer, but as a participant in its timeless cycles.
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