Sad little bird

I came home last night to a good deed in progress. In fact, I'd barely open the door to Jewel's truck when The Boy stuck his head out the door.

"Mom, did you get Dad's text message?"

Jewel and I went for dinner, for the last little bit of girl time before her baby is born in the beginning of June. I didn't check my phone for texts -- I hate people who do that mid-meal.

"Mom, we found a bird in the yard and I made it a nest out of a shoebox. Come see."

Confession: I don't like birds. I really don't like wild birds. And I really don't like wild birds in my house. 

"There's a bird?"
"Yeah, we're feeding it honey water."

Sure enough on the kitchen table was an funny looking specimen of a little bird. Eyes closed (sleeping?) The Man was cutting down our diseased Japanese lilac, when The Boy found "the little guy" hobbling in the neighbour's yard. "He could only take a few steps."

The Man could tell that while I completely and totally understood why the bird was in the house, my irrational mind was going directly to it getting better and fluttering around my house gouging out people's eyes.  "Mom, Little Guy is going to sleep in the garage with the light on to keep him warm."

Except Little Guy was weak and something attack him in our garage during the course of the night*. A mouse probably.  He didn't make it. And this morning, we have a heartbroken boy.

We talked, we snuggled. We tell him it was the right thing to do, and that having a great big heart is the best way to be. (But yeah, sometimes it hurts.) The Man suggests writing it all down in his reflection log (a diary they have to keep for school.) The Boy liked the idea.  Guess I shouldn't be surprised, it seems to have made him feel better... still sad but better...

_______

*The idea that there is something running around my garage is not reassuring. At all. I wonder if I can live here and never go in the garage.

Comments

[The Tired Prop]

Ouch! There must be something going on with birds these days.... Today I found a dead one at my doorstep.

is the school teaching the kids how to blog?

Have a great day Nat!

[Princess of the Universe]

This post made me so sad - I'm sorry for The Boy.
xo

[sizzle]

How sad. Poor little bird. It's sweet of your boy to care.

[Selma]

What a shame. That makes me sad. At least you tried to save him!

[Kevin Spencer]

That is a shame. But you guys did try.

[Mim]

Could be a lesson in Science.

When I was little, we did something like this too. The baby bird didn't survive either.

(Secretly, I'm with you regarding birds.)

[gkgirl]

awwww...that's hard...
:(

and hard to see them sad...
but good for him for trying...

[Jobthingy]

aww.. poor boy.

[kilax]

Oh wow. I would be so heart-broken too. I am happy you talked it out with him and encouraged him to write his feelings out. You're an awesome parent :)

[Nat]

Some days it doesn't feel that way. Thanks.