I was digging around in my backyard garden as usual one morning, when my tomcat brought me a present, a young cardinal clenched firmly in his mouth. He dropped it at my feet and to my astonishment, it hopped up with an unearthly ear-splitting screech! I quickly, yet gently scooped the bird up and placed it high up in a tree where I watched it stutter and start, stutter again and fly away.
As I’m prone to do, I bounced in my brain to metaphorically spiritualizing the incident. You see, I have a friend whose child is beautiful, smart, and an alcoholic. I’ve watched the mom pick him up, put him back together, and set him free time and time again after being in the clenched jaws of an addiction situation with all its varied and sundry ramifications. The bird to child comparison continued.
Do you know what happened later in the day after my cat gifted me with the young cardinal? That very same rescued cardinal was left dead on the welcome mat of my front porch. How did it get there? I wasn’t aware of its presence until some friends were entering my home for a ladies’ evening meeting. I downplayed the dead bird reception and apologized profusely, yet my mind went back to that morning and how I had assisted the cardinal to haltingly fly away.
I couldn’t help but continue the metaphorical story of my friend’s child being like that bird caught and trapped over and over again. I’m afraid, so afraid that he will be brought to her front door someday with that beautiful plumage dull and lifeless.
Have you forgotten that each and every bird is cherished?
Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. Even all the hairs on your head are numbered. So do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.