The Mockingbird That Would Not Be Killed

For a few weeks, a mockingbird had been visiting me - she (perhaps) would sit on the top of the umbrella on my patio table and often stand on the patio and look into the house. I rather got a kick out watching her. Then a pair of birds would be chasing Psycho, the cat, across the top of the backyard fence. "Ah," I thought, "they have babies somewhere."

Offers of food and seed were ignored.

Several days ago, big Mama cat came in with a good sized bird in her mouth (I thought it was a mouse) and when we were able to take the bird, we noticed it was a baby Mockingbird. In the attempted capture, the cat caught the bird - twice. When baby was finally secured, he was placed in a shoe box. The next morning, my grandson opened the box to see if baby was still alive, and the bird took off and hid behind a China closet. We couldn't get it out as the furniture was too heavy.

Then, suddenly, the desperate screams of a bird, and I ran to the kitchen, and there it was, in the mouth of the cat AGAIN. I rescued the bird, and drove him to the Wildlife Sanctuary which was well-tucked away in an industrial section of town. The workers said a bird so attacked (three times) would rarely live. Sad, and on the way out of the sanctuary I was able to see a Great Horned Owl, which was an awe inspiring sight!

The following day I called the Sanctuary - the baby bird not only lived, but had already transited to a foster home that would nurture it until it could return to the wild. What a bird! What beautiful innocence and strength!

Then I turned inward and asked, what was the lesson of the Mockingbirds - ahhh, a humbling one: I turned to research and some Indian Lore - - - and found it, "Take note of what you are attracting and mimicking." Yes, I got it. It took me a long time. The Indians believe when one gets the "house visitors" it is often a message. I agree.