Your Nest

There was frost on our quiet lawn as the December sun finally rose from the sky.

That’s when I first noticed the bird’s nest with pine needles; it caught my glance while I dried my hair one Saturday morning. 

The nest was a new addition to my daily view, only feet outside the bathroom window. I continued under the hum of the dryer as my eyes searched closely around the proximity of the nest.

I guess I was hoping to spot off-season robin’s eggs, or something.

I made mental note that the nest was obviously out of place, lying on the ground rather than in an elevated location, but didn’t even think about moving it to a more appropriate place. I went on about my day.

Weeks passed and often I’d glance out the bathroom window to see if the bird’s nest was still there. It was, remaining out of place. I wondered if anyone would be back for the displaced house and didn’t move it, just in case. I even considered putting on gloves to mask my scent, picking it up with a stick and setting it in a place with higher bird traffic, but never took the time to do that. 
It became a very brief part of my routine, if I passed by that window while the sun was up. 

Changes in the weather and calendar came and went, but that nest remained just beside our house.

No movement.

No occupancy.

No eggs.

I watched it with hope that someone – something – would swoop in and take care of it.

Move it to a more suitable place.

Make it into a home. 
Raise a family.
Hang some curtains.

I’m an optimist.

But they didn’t.

Now, months later…it’s too late.

I've watched it go from a displaced project to a complete waste.

The bird’s nest has officially lost its purpose.

What good is a high-rise apartment in the basement?

Grass and weeds are growing through the nest, keeping it from blowing away or being picked up by someone looking for a hand-crafted all-natural bungalow.

It is permanently somewhere where it doesn't belong. 

It reminded me of a few good things 

wasted because no one took the time 

to save them.

So what is your nest?

What have you noticed out of place?

What just doesn’t belong? Or, what is missing?

What is the thing that just isn’t right?

Who needs help, but can’t get there themself?

Who is in a bad place and can’t get where they need to be, alone?

What is the thing that someone has invested a lot of time into

Education

Marriage

Friendships

Homesteads

Careers

Personal health

Only to lose focus and throw it away?

What comes to mind right now is your nest.

Will you sit idly by and watch it in waste, losing it's purpose?
Or will you proactively do something to improve the situation before it is too late?

What is your nest?

At our place, this little guy better move quickly up my priority list before the Little Mower That Could comes back from the repair shop. You all know how I lose all sense of reality when I'm mowing the yard.