For the Fathers of those little ones

I found this in my postings to be edited... it is a little late now... I thought I posted it on Father's Day... oh well.


The light is on again. It is shining your way again. It makes you uncomfortable. You sense danger and you hunker down. You are sitting low and just squinting out into the brightness. You can't see much because the light is aimed right at you. There is movement and noise that is getting closer. Every muscle in your body tenses up. The adrenaline is roaring through your body and your senses are become hyper-alert. Your heart is pounding in your ears. You move your feet a little so you will be positioned to spring into action. You hear the noise and sense more movement... it is still there. You listen harder now and you hear things you haven't heard before. There is more movement and noise and you are ready to fight. You don't know if you can fight this thing but you know you will.

Soon, but not soon enough, the noise is becoming fainter, just as the movement you sensed is becoming more distant. You are still on alert, but you feel your muscles relaxing. You have a new sense of awareness now that you are a Father. You are more alert and ready than you have ever been before. You are more than ready to protect your family. You have transitioned to Fatherhood. For some, the trials come earlier than others... but, you will be ready and waiting. It is part of your nature now...provided to you by God and your parents.

The sounds are back to normal now. The light has gone out. It is a "new you" that is sitting on the branch next to the nest... where your wife and baby are. As a White-Winged Dove there is not a lot you can do, but you feel a new sense of pride that you will do all you can do to protect your family. You know there will be new and different dangers ahead, and you try not to think about the unknown... but you do.

The other side of the light...

I am glad he didn't fly. Half asleep, I have remembered I left the pool spa on... again. I turned the light on and wandered out to the pool equipment. I know there is a White-Winged Dove that lives in those tall shrubs. I have the floodlight pointed over that way so I won't step on one of those snakes that I hope are non-existent. I am sure the light is startling to him. I have done this before and I have nearly had a heart attack when the dove in the shrubs took off. Tonight that White-Winged Dove didn't fly... I wonder why? I heard him move his feet and get ready. I was ready for the noise from the flapping of his wings... he sounds like he is going supersonic when he flies. I can imagine that a night takeoff in the thick shrubs is scary. I have wondered how well he sees at night. Can he land safely at night? I have worried about him before... something has changed now... I am thinking he has a family now... Congratulations.

I hope he is cautious and takes good care of his family... and himself.

I will try not to get too close to his nest.

Good luck Dads.