Journal of Sacred Work

In a destructive hurricane in 1982, chickens were released from the captivity of coops across farms in Kauai, HI. Since then, chickens have roamed free on the island and there is a law that protects them from harm. We are vacationing in Kauai and just outside the patio door there is a mother hen and her four chicks who have claimed this little patch of heaven as their home.

They are very entertaining to observe and I am reminded that Mother’s Day is just around the corner. The mothering instinct seems to be encrypted deep within the DNA of all creatures. Watching Hildie, yes, she definitely looks like a Hildie Hendersen to me, she is a fierce protector. If other hens come near, boy, with lightning speed and a sharp warning she chases them away. She is a teacher showing her chicks how to hunt for food modeling those little pecking movements in the grass as they follow close behind. When the regal Sir Henry rooster shows up dressed in his best, it is clear he is a welcomed member of the family.  

The mornings are cool and windy here on the ocean front, the baby chicks, Sandy, Pitch, Flint and Zelda are yet to develop a feathery coat thick enough to keep warm. So Hilde offers her body, gathering them into her warmth. She poofs up her feathers taking them under wing, as only a Mom could do. When they are mature and independent enough, she will begin nudging them to venture out on their own.

The mothering instinct reveals itself in many beautiful and unique ways. Just this week, I was blessed to meet a lovely woman, who we sat with on the plane. She, shared photos of her beloved babies, two adorable white furry dogs. She mentioned too that a young woman friend has declared her as "mom", such is the impact of her loving presence. Also, she delighted and surprised us when she popped by the restaurant we were at to wish me a happy birthday, on her way to meet up with friends. What a thoughtful gesture that made my day!

Wherever there is a kind and loving motion towards another being that is a way of mothering, nurturing, affirming, and giving rise to love's ever expanding healing energy.

With gratitude for the many ways, you each express love in your own unique and irreplaceable ways.

Liz Sorensen Wessel
Photo by Liz