There is a backstory for this illustration. It is about the discovery of a universal truth known naturally to most animals, yet seemingly hidden from people.

When I moved into my house in May of 2007, I discovered rather quickly that my backyard was already owned by the wrens. Day after day, I would sit in the north-facing sunroom and watch the non-stop activity of the wrens.

Ten years later, I got some chickens. For a while, their presence kept the wrens away. But this changed as the scratching and pecking of my chickens helped to spread food and seeds outside their coop and run area into the yard for the wrens and other birds to collect. The generosity of my chickens was a hint to the wrens and other songbirds that all was safe. The “new owners” were wealthy and generous.

My presence when sitting outside with my chickens soon did not appear to bother the wrens, cardinals, thrushes, and robins. My time outside was beneficial to me not only for the peace that my soul gained but also for the life lessons that my heart experienced.

It wasn’t until I observed a momma wren feeding some non-wren babies that a truth came to me that my chickens already knew.

All hungry mouths look the same. A hungry mouth is a hungry mouth, and it needs to be filled by whoever can fill it.

Thinking of this with respect to birds was simple. A momma bird will work tirelessly to ensure that her babies have food to eat. She will also feed other bird babies who are placed in her nest. She will not see the difference, but she may smell the scent of the person who handled and placed the bird baby into her nest. 

If we as people could be more like wrens, this world would be a much better pace for all.