Photo by Dan Liu
I’ve got that
nesting feeling. That hunker-down, fluff the house,
prep-for-the-long-dark-winter feeling. And fortunately for me, I recently picked
up a few nesting skills from an expert extraordinaire, and I’m happy to share them
with you here.
Photo by Dan Liu
This summer a Robin
built her nest on our front porch. She flew by with a twig in her mouth, and I
was thrilled to see her craftsmanship right outside my window. A well-positioned video camera gave us our
own little National Geographic show.
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| Photo by Dan Liu |
Robin had two
babies. She and her “partner” took turns foraging for worms and watching over
the young. She spent what seemed like hours – with nary an iPad to pass the
time – sitting on their little bodies. The babies grew fat and healthy and took
flight right before our eyes. The robins left behind a clean and spotless nest.
It turns out we can learn a lot about nesting from a Robin.
Nesting, to me, says
clean, comfortable, cozy surroundings, devoid of excess and clutter. I think
Robin agrees.
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| Photo by Dan Liu |
Lesson 1: McMansions are Overrated
Does extra space
mean extra clutter for you? Robin’s nest was just the right size – a little
roomy in the beginning, a little tight near the end – but basically perfect. I
wonder sometimes if too much space is too much of a good thing.
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| Photo by Dan Liu |
Lesson 2: Manage the Memorabilia
Pictures, awards,
trophies – they all have meaning; but they can become burdensome, too. When the
baby birds hatched, Robin tossed their egg shells to the ground –
notwithstanding their gorgeous blue color! Imagine the sentimentality around
their first little homes! But Mama Robin knew those shells would do more good
to the camellia bush below than cluttering up her nest.
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| Photo by Dan Liu |
Lesson 3: Clean House Daily
Lots of people
“spring clean,” but I do my heaviest cleaning in the fall, preparing my home for
the indoor season. Robin kept an immaculate nest. God bless her for – um,
consuming – every bird dropping after every meal. Not once did she let up on
this necessary chore. Can I hear an “Amen!” that we don’t have to do that?
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| Photo by Dan Liu |
Lesson 4: Forage Mindfully
Is your freezer or
pantry stuffed with unidentifiable or expired foods? The Robin was efficient in her “shopping.” She
foraged for only one feeding of worms at a time, though the mouthfuls got
bigger and grosser as time went on. Refrigerators saved us from our hunting and
gathering days, but there’s still something to be said about limiting supply to
only what we use in a given amount of time.
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| Baby birds with their new feathers. Photo by Dan Liu |
Lesson 5: Eliminate Excess
When I get that
“nesting” feeling, I know it’s time to purge. Too much “stuff” is usually
weighing me down. Apparently the same is true for the Robin, as she had a
regular routine of poking around her nest and discarding little downy feathers
no longer needed by her young. What kind of excess is crowding your nest?
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| Baby birds prepare for their first flight. Photo by Dan Liu |
Fifteen days after
the twin birds hatched, they took flight and never returned to their tidy
little nest. We were fortunate to catch this special moment on film – including
nervous mom and dad chirping wildly on the roof next door.
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| Dad is now an empty nester. Photo by Dan Liu |
Our need for order,
for cleanliness, for “nesting” is
obviously shared by all living creatures. Imagine the comfort and coziness of
our homes if we practiced these lessons from Robin.
Any of these lessons
speak to you?
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