THERE'S A TIME . . .

The Fable of Chico the Little Chicken

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Peck…peck…peck-peck-peck.

The little chick could not get enough of the scattered grain on the ground. Mother Hen also pecked around while watching over Chico, her youngest, and the rest of the brood.

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“Mama Hen! Mama Hen! This is so tasty!” cried Chico delightfully.

“Yes, little one. Enjoy as much as you like. Farmer Man always feeds us good.” Mama Hen was a happy hen.

All the little chickens ate and flapped their tiny wings, tumbled and rumbled about. Some of them wished they could fly like the birds they saw above. Chico flapped and jumped from a crate, only to fall.

“No, no,” Mama Hen directed. “We chickens aren’t made for flying. If we were, maybe some of us could get away from the humans who want us for food. But alas, here we are, earthbound, left to the fate of what humans choose for us.”

Chico thought over that for a moment, then asked, “What is fate, Mama Hen?”

Mama Hen chose her words carefully.

“Fate is something that we have no control over. Fate is a force that some humans use to get what they can from us. Some humans are greedy, some are just trying to survive. Whether we are destined to live comfortably here, providing eggs, or are doomed to provide a meal, we as chickens have no choice. That is our fate.”

Chico took it all in, cocked his head up to look at the sky birds, turned to look over at the farm, then looked down at the ground.

“But I do have a choice right now, Mama Hen. I choose to keep eating the grain, playing with my brothers and sisters, and later snuggle up with you!”

Mama Hen looked surprised. What a smart little chick Chico is, she thought.

“Yes, dear, live in the moment and don’t brood over anything.”

So Chico, Mama Hen and the rest of the offspring clucked on and peck…peck…pecked.

Moral of the story: Mama Hen said it, “Live in the moment.” After all, you never know for sure what Fate has in store for you. Might as well make the most of it. Theresa M

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In the Heat of This Moment

These days are way too hot and long. Please autumn, come early and bring us relief. Bring back cool days with gentle breezes, and nippy nights with just a hum of crickets.

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I am hoping fall foliage will be beautiful this year. Last year was not pleasant, as heat extended into October (my favorite month) and pretty much dried up everything to a brown crisp.

Of course we have no control over the seasons and the results they bring. Time to focus on what we do have control over. Well, maybe there’s not too much of that either. We convince ourselves we can make certain things happen. We can try. We can make a difference here and there. But it’s important to ask why we do the things we do.

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Is it for one’s own ego, self-importance? Is it for fighting against deep-set fears and the what-ifs? Or is it because we truly want to make things better not just for ourselves but for others as well? Does it have to be my way? Is there any compromise? Will what I do interfere with someone else’s freedom; am I forcing my beliefs, my wishes on others?

Live and let live. We can do this. We can free others and thus ourselves, if we allow people to be who they are, make their choices - deal with their consequences. Just let them live, and we can live our lives too.

There is no perfect freedom, no perfect world. Sunshine on some days, storms on another. Damage. Regrowth. We really ought to knock off the negative and start uniting, rebuilding based on love and the ability to let go when needed.

OK. I’ll live in this heat, but I can still long for autumn. Theresa M