I grew up in the country in South Carolina at a time when we didn’t know that poverty had a name. Most of us had very few material possessions, but we were blessed with loving families and friends whom we could count on to be with us in times of need. I have very fond memories of those years, and I am thankful for the many things I learned about the wondrousness of God’s creation — ALL creation.
I remember as a young boy being captivated by the patience, love and care of a mother hen for her chicks. I watched her as she found a nest in the nearby woods and laid the necessary number of eggs to begin the hatching process. Then, for the next 21 days, she stayed with those eggs, coming out on rare periods of a few minutes each day to get the necessary nourishment, and then get immediately back to her nest.
I recall one particular occasion seeing this particular hen emerge from the woods about two days after the hatching process, guiding her little chicks carefully over the field to our home. A huge storm erupted and heavy rain began to fall. It was clear the chicks could not make it on their own, so the mother hen gathered them under her wings to keep them safe and dry while she became drenched. Only after the storm had passed did she carefully guide them on to shelter.
I learned a valuable lesson that day about the wonderful traits of love, commitment, patience and kindness, and reaching out to others in their times of need. Of course, that was the kind of attention and love I always received from my mother, but to see it displayed by a mother hen gave me an awareness of and respect for the wondrousness of all life.
Another thing fascinating to watch is a flock of geese flying in perfect “V” formation, thereby enhancing the strength of all of them, and to see others come to the immediate aid of one who had fallen out of formation. Folks, this is a remarkable example of the value of teamwork and compassion.
Since we are talking today mainly about members of the bird family, let me share this experience with you that occurred during this long ago era. I was sitting on our front porch one warm July day when I saw a pigeon flying across the field. A hawk swooped down suddenly and grasped the pigeon with his claws. Then, for reasons I never understood, he released his catch and the pigeon fell to the ground.
I ran across the field, picked him up, and rushed home. It was obvious the pigeon was severely injured, but I decided to make an effort to help him recover. Over the next three weeks, with the help of my mother, we nursed the pigeon back to health. He was able to fly again but, being thoroughly domesticated and completely trusting, he chose to stay in our backyard.
In a short period of time, a mate came to join him, and before long that mating led to eight additional pigeons. We built a bird house for them and they became like part of our family. I could walk out into the backyard and all of them would gather around me. What a great lesson that is for us of the importance oftrusting and being trustworthy.
In a few weeks, I want to report on some of the valuable lessons I have learned over the years from members of the canine family. To give greater insight into what this means, I refer you to some classic renditions, such as Red Foley’s “Old Shep,” Tom T. Hall’s “Old Dog and Children” and Jimmy Stewart’s poem about “A Dog Named Beau.”
Emma and I are very thankful for the kind and loving way all our children — Reece and Lisa, Jessica and Bob, and Jason and Christi — love and care for their animals and consider them parts of their families.
Of course, all animals are not young and beautiful, but they all have loving hearts and minds. Joe Exum recently shared a poem with me written in 1983 by Janet Adkins, titled “A Prayer for Ugly Animals” — “For the one-eyed, lop-eared, three-legged lame, For the worn and cast out, wild or tame, For the unsightly, toothless, and knock-kneed, For the slack-jawed, splay-footed, worst of breed, For the stiff-jointed, old, deaf or blind, used up and abused by man unkind, For the sick and starving that patiently wait, without whine or whimper to suffer their fate, Because they all share Creation’s soul, In your Kingdom, Lord, make them lovely and whole!”
Reece Gardner is the host of “The Reece Gardner Hour,” which airs on TACC-9 on Mondays at 9 p.m., Tuesdays at 8 p.m., Thursdays at 11 p.m., Sundays at 10:30 p.m. and on-demand anytime at TACC9.com. You can reach Reece at rbgej@aol.com.