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Sometimes, in the middle of all the details, life has a way of stopping us in our tracks, causing us to witness its beauty in the simplest of ways.
Recently, I found a baby bird, fallen from its nest. Questions raced through my mind. Should I pick it up? Will its mother care for it if I do? What if she doesn’t? As I examined the nestling and returned it to the nest, what I assumed to be its mother sat just inches from the nest and from my hand — she didn’t move as I placed the baby in the nest with its two siblings. Later in the day I checked again, and another baby had fallen — the nest didn’t seem to be secure, so I repositioned it on a lower branch. And yet another question — will the mother continue to care for her babies? After all, not only did I touch the babies, I moved the nest as well.
I found my laptop and Googled, “caring for nestlings.” It said that mother birds will not reject their babies because of the scent of a human. Thank goodness! It also said that the mother will not abandon her offspring.
Sure enough, the mother came back every 10 minutes with sustenance. Later that day, a storm began, and the wind and the rain blew exceptionally hard. My son and I felt we should bring the nest and three nestlings into the house until the storm subsided. We ran to the tree, to the branch, to the nest, and there, over the babies, were two adult birds with their wings completely outspread, sheltering the babies from the storm — a beautiful thing to behold. Was it simply instinctual bird behavior, or was it more? Is their protective behavior any different than any other parent protecting their young?
It’s hard to imagine that in my forty-some-odd years this loving bird behavior could have escaped me.
I recently watched a neurologist on TV talking about her experience of witnessing herself having a stroke. Recovered from the trauma to her brain, she explained how the experience taught her to see the world through the right side of her brain — the part that experiences how miraculous this world really is. I believe it might also be a function of age — at 20, the world looked a little unexciting to me. But now, at forty-something, the magic and wonder of life has returned, much like it is for very young children. Perhaps I’m learning to “see” using the right side of my brain.
Regardless of the explanation, life at 40 is so much more rich than life at 20. To all those who are yet to arrive, hang in there — life just keeps getting better and better. So pour yourself a cup of java, head to the back yard, relax and witness the miracles of life all around you.
In addition to celebrating the richness of St. Louis, this special issue of Java Journal features many articles that focus on women in business. As a woman business owner, I am particularly interested in the qualities that women bring to business. I have the very good fortune to work with both men and women, professionals who bring vastly different, but equally valuable, qualities to the table. Collectively, we form a cohesive team with a broad perspective and wide range of strengths. Traditionally, men have ruled in the world of business. But today, women are spreading their wings like never before. And thank goodness, as the particular qualities that the women of Java Journal share are creating what we think is a very positive St. Louis experience.
I hope you enjoy this issue. I invite you to share your thoughts with me at marian@javajournalonline.com or by mail at: The Barista at Java Journal, 11116 South Towne Square, Suite 102, St. Louis, MO 63123
Kindly,
Marian Rein
| August Featured Stories |
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