On Being A Mother.... And No this is not going in the direction you think it is...

Yesterday afternoon I heard banging, items being thrown, wood on wood and a host of other clatter. Curious, I looked out my back door, as my neighbor disappeared into his home, above, evidence of a fresh repair job on the eave of the house – an attempt to patch up some loose boards. On most occasions I would have left my window and continued on with my chores. But I couldn’t do that now ….

A squirrel suddenly emerged into view … a mother swollen full of nourishment for her young. She immediately went to the newly repaired eave and became frantic. Hurriedly searching for the entrance that was no longer there. I opened my back door – she stopped and looked at me, but did not run away. I swear I could see the fear and sadness in her eyes. I swear she was begging me to help.

The squirrel was then startled by my neighbor, opening his door to retrieve something from his deck. She headed in my direction and positioned herself on a tree branch not far from me. I stepped inside to get my camera to take a few pictures – try to capture the look in her eyes. She watched. She did not move. She settled herself onto the branch and watched me, sensing I was not a threat. She stared at me. She stared at me.

I went back inside my house to put away my camera. When I walked by the window a few moments later, she was once again on the roof, above the newly repaired eave. Again she was frantic, looking for the entrance that was no longer there.

Throughout the day I continued to glance out the window, but she was gone. Did she give up? Was she going to abandon her young, now sealed inside the eave?

This morning when I awoke, I immediately walked thru the house and headed to my back door. Not knowing what I expected to see, but knowing I had to see.

My face is still wearing a smile from the sight that greeted me outside my back door. On my neighbor’s deck, below the eave, was an impressive pile of wood chips … lots of wood chips. And as I glanced up – the entrance which was no longer there, was there once again. And I smiled.

Yesterday, during those moments, our eyes met, the squirrel and I, we both understood.