By: Dale King
Life is amazing, isn’t it?
Motherhood is a wonderful thing, too, for humans and for all species of animals. I had a chance this past week to see motherhood in a delightful and adoring way. And I am pleased that humanity reacted in such a positive way to this sudden display of tiny creature charm.
My wife and I were driving through a parking lot near the Town Center at Boca Raton mall the other day when we spotted a mother duck leading nine of her ducklings along the pavement. She was watching over her brood with great motherly intensity. My wife suggested I get out and take a picture of the group. That photo is the one you see accompanying this column.
For a brief, few moments, I had a chance to view another level of motherhood, but one that is just as strong and just as important as the relationship we share with out own moms. I tried to walk softly and quietly as I approached the duck family. They were moving fairly quickly, and Mother Duck was checking me out as I neared the group.
At this point, other cars pulled up along side the ducks so children in the vehicles could look out the windows. Another car stopped across the path of the ducks and the people inside threw pieces of bread toward the little walkers. God, how they flocked to get the bread! Mom had to do a quick about-face to catch up with her hungry little children.
I tried to keep up with the group of ducks, and I took several pictures. Finally, I got one that I thought was pretty good. That’s the one that appears with the column today
As I walked away, I realized how we humans who were at the scene had taken a moment to show our concern for this family of small animals. The cars that stopped carefully avoided interrupting the duck exodus. The people in the cars marveled at the little display of tiny animal behavior that was unfolding before their eyes.
More important, they showed respect for a small life form that is really helpless in this world filled with big humans – even big humans with well-developed brains.
We can use our brains to regale in the wonder of small animals – or disregard our brain functions and overlook the needs of animals.
I remember a phone call some years ago with a corporate executive who had been the subject of several stories I wrote. “I read some of your articles,” he told me. “You’re one of those animal rights nuts.” Well, if enjoying snippets of delightful animal behavior makes me a nut, then I plead guilty. If treating my own dog with special care because of the love he gives me makes me a nut, then I am one – to the extreme.
And motherhood is a wonderful thing, too. Sometimes it takes a small animal to provide us with a reminder of just how wonderful it is.