The King and I

He so often appears loomingly large. A neck that extends and contracts. Legs that stretch. Wings that span great distances.

I so often imagine him the king of his small world. The one who rules..who decides..who declares. I attribute him the qualities of any great leader - fortitude...strength...persistence...patience and perseverance. No matter what - he shows up. Whether the sun rises..or it does not. Without knowing if - on this day - there will be any food to feed him.

And then - I see him like this. Small. Sweet. Softly vulnerable. Almost miniscule in a universe that is so much greater. I want to shelter him from the day's rain. I want to feed him. I want to offer him an umbrella and blanket to keep him warm and safe and dry.

I chuckle to myself. I laugh. I wonder.

Will the day ever come when I stop wanting and wishing to be someone's mother??