A FAMILY OF DUCKS

 

We saw a family of ducks the other day…enjoying the morning sun.

A mother duck and her 7 babies…in a little pond…

splashing in the water…having a little fun.

 

It was a typical Florida summer day…meaning it was humid and extremely hot.

But, sad to say, the pond these ducks were splashing in…

left by the rain…was in the middle of a parking lot.

 

The baby ducks were happily, splashing under momma duck’s watchful eye

unaware and unconcerned of the cars lined up behind them…waiting to get by.

 

Deborah and I were the first car in line…and as cars were lining up behind us too

I got out to survey the problem…and see what I could do.

 

At the same time two women who saw what was happening met me at the pond

coming together to save this mother duck and the babies she had spawned.

 

We gently coaxed the mother duck out of the pond and into the grass

to a spot with a little puddle….we hoped she would prefer…

knowing her babies who have imprinted would quickly follow her.

 

5 of her babies did follow their mother……and away from the pond they tottered

but two of her babies were more stubborn and didn’t want to leave the water.

 

As the mother was gathering her babies…all their duck sisters and the brothers…

the three of us coaxed the two stragglers back into feathers of their mother.

 

As the cars passed through the puddle…the three of us nodded to one another 

and smiled…without saying a word…

glad for the little part we played in helping this beautiful family of birds.

 

Driving away…I couldn’t help thinking about those ducks 

as I looked back in the grass where they lay…

how three people came together to help them out that day.

 

How it was so easy for three strangers to see a family of ducks in need

and help all 7 babies and their mother…

and I thought wouldn’t that be great in the world we find ourselves in today…

if we could do the same for one another.

 

Come together without asking…without expecting anything in return…

only too happy to intercede….

whenever we see a anyone from our human family…

In trouble…or in need.

 
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