Getting the Bird at the Front Door

My friends live in the country and asked me to take care of their house while they were away, getting the mail and looking over the gardens. I was walked around the house to be shown my duties to the flowers and something else. I was warned to approach the front door with extreme caution. In the vine wreath on their front door under the porch a robin had decided to make a nest and have some baby birds!

This robin, obviously a foul genius, had found a place under cover in shelter from the elements and in secluded safety from her nest inhabitants becoming prey. To top it off she had the most wonderful and kind hearted neighbors. My friend shrugged in some frustration while I laughed she said, “I just want to use my front door.” Perhaps it’s just so bizarre that makes it so funny to me… of course it’s not my door either.

I can’t help but think of the lesson to be learned. This bird was the ultimate opportunist. She knew what she needed and took the chance to have it, a good home. I’ve been reading a Jack Higgins Novel, “The Eagle Has Landed” after watching the old George Peppard Movie “Night of the Fox”. Both have great premises centered around WWII and spies and the like. The Movie has George Peppard boldly going into German territory with fake order letters supposedly written by Hitler himself. He is an agent from Brittan who is trying to save an officer who knows the detials of the upcoming D-Day invasion. He gets pretty much everywhere on his bold as brass attitude. In the book (a different storyline) it’s written from a German perspective, they are trying to capture Winston Churchill.

I ran across a wonderful quote in the book. “Who Dares- wins”, the book says it’s a special badge some paratroopers wore on the berets. I’m not sure if the badges are fiction or not, the book says the Churchill plot was based loosely on facts. Isn’t it truth though, sure you can dare and loose but if you never dare you’re never going to win. That robin dared.

Be it the boldness of George Peppard or courage of a robin, seeing an opportunity and taking it is the only key. Yes, there can be failures… but like the quote from that book eludes to, it’s only the winners who take the risks and dare to dare. As an artist my head seems to be in the clouds much of the time. Still while I realize the world is run by more concrete minded individuals it wouldn’t be any fun without the dreamers. After all visionaries are dreamers who dared to make nests in doorways and gatecrash parades. Whom have the courage to own life… or give it their all trying to. I’m tempted to either find or make one of those badges.

After all wearing official looking badges is the Foolsfitness way!- Alan