Pileated woodpeckers and a prayer

A minute with Marlin

My Mom has loved birds her entire life. She can identify many birds by their songs alone. Recently Mom has begun teaching our youngest son the same skillset. Miles has taken a liking to bird spotting as he calls it, and is constantly looking for his “white whale.” The Pileated Woodpecker. He knows everything about them, he knows their song, how big they are, what they eat and more. But he hasn’t seen one quite yet. We have feeders with suet cakes designed specifically to attract woodpeckers. We have Downy, Hairy, Red bellied woodpeckers, plus a few Flickers eating at the feeders regularly but no Pileated woodpeckers yet.

It is a beautiful thing to watch a child learn and grow. The interests come and go and they learn what talents they have been given as they figure out what they want to do with their lives. It is a wonderful and at times painful process. Then you toss in the things that happen to them and it can get wild quickly.

Our oldest son Bryson, has been dealt a hard hand. He joined our family eighteen years ago at age four. Today he lives in a group home with people paid to take care of him. He cant hold a job or drive and thats ok. With all the trauma he endured as a infant and toddler, he is doing alright.

Before Lisa and I were married, my Dad pulled me aside and told me a few short but weighty things. He said, Marlin, you have all you need to be a man, you don’t need me for anything. I will always be here if you want to talk, but you can do it on your own. At the time, I appreciated all he said. As I have grown older, lived more life and said goodbye to him, I see how wise he was and what those few minutes did for me.

I long to say those words to Bryson and I pray I get the chance to share them with Miles. Life is complicated isn’t it?

As always, may you find joy in the simple things.

Love, Marlin