Mamavism Monday: It’s The Little Things
Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively. Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.
So giddy up! Let’s take mamavism on the road!
MAMAVISM MONDAY: IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS
I think that sometimes our ideas about how to make the world a better place and our time to do it in, don’t exactly jive. As a stay at home Mom, I know I sometimes feel guilty as if being a Mom isn’t having enough of a positive impact on the world. That it is sort of selfish, and I am not helping to row this community boat.
Then I breathe. And take into account that all of the good works I might do in life, the quality time with my children will be what I am most grateful for on my death bed. I remember that I can’t take achievement or fame with me to the other side, and my ego settles down a bit. I think long and hard about the kind of children I hope to raise, ones that care for the planet, that don’t blindly consume because they think that is the path to happiness, they take into account how their purchases effect people around the world, they would learn to have compassion for a world far different from their own, and people far different from themselves. That they find happiness within, whatever that means to them.
Then it seems like being a Mom is enough. It is enough for two little people in this world at least.
This weekend we had the perfect opportunity to share with our kids the importance of helping where we can.
My son, and our neighbor’s son, found a baby bird in the bed of the neighbors pickup truck. It is parked under an enormous tree, so that isn’t too much of a surprise. We looked at the poor little fellow, and got the kids out of the truck to see if he would fly away. He hopped unsuccessfully around the bed flapping his wings like crazy, but only getting about four or five inches up into the air. We looked up into the tree, and there was no hope of a ladder finding it’s way to a nest, we couldn’t even see a nest.
We carefully put him onto the grass to see what would happen. He ran as hard and as fast as his little legs could carry him, flapping, flapping, flapping, like a little road runner. He made it about 10 feet and was tuckered out. Then he sat with his beak gaping asking for food. Hmmm. We couldn’t leave him, there is a neighborhood cat who has left feathery remnants of mourning doves in our yard before. And we have two beasty dogs, one of which chases fanatically the robins and squirrels out of our yard.
We grabbed a box, put some grass in it so he didn’t slide around, and took him to this fabulous place called The Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. They help orphaned and injured wildlife make it back into the wild. There, the woman at the front desk let me know that the boys had found a baby waxwing.
You could see the yellow tip of the babies tail already. What a beautiful creature. I told her that I had never seen them at my bird feeder before and she let me know that is because they like fruit! We will head out to get some suet or make some food from the grocery store this week to invite these little birds into our yard.
She thought the baby was probably a fledgling, and trying to leave the nest. But since he actually couldn’t fly yet, having no way to get back to the nest to be fed, he would have probably starved to death in the back of the truck.
“We can not do great things. We can only do little things with great love.” ~Mother Teresa
And so it is, for at least today, that the little things really did make a big difference. At least for one precious waxwing.
Spill it: What is one thing that you have done recently that seems small in the grand scheme of things, but you know it made all the difference to someone or something?
