Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Transitions of the Fall Season

Fall is a time of transition. Caterpillars into butterflies, shade trees to bare trees and God's creature migrate to their winter homes!


When we lived in New Hampshire we had a pond in the back yard, Lupine Pond, named for the floral that grew around it! It had a collection of animals many of which I will eventually write.

Canadian Geese are such a treasure. Yes, they poop all over but really. We had geese all summer and most of the fall. We got see the hatching's turn from swimmer to flyer's. One of my favorite memories was while preparing dinner with my wife. She was washing some dishes in the kitchen sink that overlooked the pond. She called me over to see this mother with her 8 or nine children in the water. At first nothing was different, she was squawking orders, guiding them but they were in the pattern of a "flying wing"! Yes the same shape we see them flying in during migration but this was in the water. They each had their place and it was her job to prepare them for the coming journey south! She squawked loudly at the other geese in the pond that might interfere with this training. This was not the only time we observed her behavior. On another occasion she was teaching them while on the lawn beside the house, it was an incredible experience with God's creation.

Well, my twist on this is our role as parents. Our kids are 26, 23 and 16. We spent our parenting years coaching them to walk, eat, dress themselves and be independent. We were charged with having "good kids"! But really what we were doing was exactly what this mother goose was doing. Teaching them a place in this world where they could fit in, showing them the value of family, cooperation and also companionship. We are proud of our kids and who they are but some are on their own path migrating together with their spouse. Life is a journey to and from many places. It is also a journey with family, friends and even predators. But mostly life is continuing a path, a journey or a trip started at a young point in our lives and traveling where-ever the wind takes us!

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