Mama’s Roots
The
northern wind blew incessantly, molding the contour of
the tattered flag to that of the long abandoned machine
shop.
The now cracked and crumbled concrete had not witnessed
a single pair of
work boots in the better part of a decade.
With the exception of the majestic
Oak Tree
that stood with unabashed glory in the Corner of First and Main,
the
rest of the town had not fared much better.
There was no care for the old man,
no job for the young man, and no food for the boy.
Despair and resentment long
since invaded
the once hopeful hearts of the congregants
as they watched their
beloved community
fall from glory before their very eyes.
The
Oak Tree, however, stood as the pinnacle of life in the otherwise lifeless town.
The time-tested roots proved immensely durable.
The leaves provided much needed
shade
when the blinding two-o’-clock sun
pierced the eyes. And nestled safely
in the very heart of the tree lived
Mama Bird and her adored baby bird.
Each
morning, Mama Bird would wake and yearn to make the nest
in which Little Bird
would grow
just a bit stronger, a little bit sturdier, a little bit better for
the love of her life.
Just as each morning the sun rises to warm the earth,
each morning Mama Bird fell more and more in love with Little Bird.
And so
every morning Mama Bird spread her wings and soared down river
in order to
collect sticks, straw, and leaves for the Oak Tree’s nest.
With
each sunrise Mama Bird sang a sweet song as she departed for the riverbank
so
that Little Bird would hear and know that she was never far.
The tune echoed
far beyond sounds normal capacity.
Mama
Bird loves her little girl.
The
townspeople coveted the very glimpse of Mama Bird soaring from the Oak
so much
so that they added words to serenade the sweet medley
that the bird chirped
each morning
The
people would sing
These
roots are for my little girl,
I
will place them so she may grow
In
love, in faith, in hopeful bliss
Wherever
her wind may blow
The
ransacked town was clinging for existence.
Stores were looted daily, fear of
the unknown
threatened to suffocate all who were old enough
to know the
inevitable fate of their downward spiral.
Mama Bird’s weighted heart beat with
purpose,
and her wings remained tense as they flapped through the air.
Even the
beautiful connoisseur of the sky was not without apprehension.
For Little
Bird’s wellbeing was always on her mind.
Yet
the people concealed their day-to-day fears,
and instead, let the Mama Bird’s
song bandage their wounded spirits.
And Mama Bird soared on in pursuit of a
strongly rooted nest for Little Bird.
This went on day after day, month after month,
year after year.
Accordingly, Mama Bird found herself on the riverbed searching
for roots
on the day of the great storm.
The
frustration and angst that was long stored away
in the hearts of the
townspeople
came to fruition in the form of lightening, thunder, and ceaseless
rain.
The bold wind competed with the info structure of the town for
domination.
Shingles were ripped from homes.
Porcelain statues and glass
windows shattered with pain.
Only Little Bird’s nest stood unharmed.
For the
foundation of love, the spirit of truth,
and the sprinkle of grace that Mama
Bird compiled
over the years proved stronger than any
Earthly challenge.
Then
the winds finally subsided and the cry of the people
began to echo throughout
the town,
Little Bird knew what she had to do.
Although she had never before
left her nest,
her heart new the way – Little Bird spread her wings
and soared
through the endless sky.
As her young wings tickled the air, she burst into a
song
that would nurse the wounded heart of her people.
Soon
after, Mama Bird replied with a melodious
echo from the edge of the riverbank.
Little
Bird swooped down until the two were so close
that Little Bird had the sense
that Mama Bird’s heartbeat
was controlling her own pattern of motion.
Together,
the two overtook the night sky, singing a synchronized tune
with a harmony and
a pitch that was more gloriously
hopeful than any melody ever heard by man.
Throughout
the town, small eyes were filled with laughter.
Mature smiles radiantly beamed
through lines of hurt.
Backs were straightened, heads held high –
The duo
lifted the spirits of the town tenfold that day
and
the people sung with joy
These
roots are for my little girl,
I
will place them so she may grow
In
love, in faith, in hopeful bliss
Wherever
her wind may blow
Each
morning as the sun emerges from the East,
Mama Bird and Little Bird can be found
soaring throughout the limitless sky.
With resilient roots and tenacious wings,
their hearts beat as one.
And
to this day, that town stands as the happiest little place on this side of
Heaven
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