Observations Of The Pond

For a time I worked in an office building which had a pond in front. There was a nice grassy area with trees and picnic tables next to the pond, and during part of the time I was in an office with a window which looked onto the pond. I took those opportunities I could to observe life around the pond - somewhat as an oasis of tranquility in the sterile, hysterical working environment.

The pond was intended as a retention pool, created to provide appropriate drainage for the office park. The ducks and geese, however, did not seem to care why it was put there, they just recognized it as a pond. They came there and did what ducks and geese do: eat, swim, fly, and have children.

I noted with curiosity that the geese remained as a pair (gander and goose) to raise their young; while the female duck was left to raise her young alone. The diversity of life can be wonderful! In both cases, the parents were careful to protect their young. Swimming and walking in little parades: goose-gosling-gosling-gosling-gander, duck-duckling-duckling-duckling-duckling-duckling.

One year there was a gander with an injured wing. Apparently the females didn't like this, as he had no family. Then one day I say him swimming with a duck and her ducklings - a rather unusual sight (duck-duckling-duckling-duckling-?gander?)! I guess his need for a family was great enough that he noticed the duck had no partner, and so found a family to "adopt". And somehow, the mother duck seemed to recognize that he was there to help, as she did not try to attack him as she would other intruders, but let him join her family.

I never saw him again after that summer. But I will never forget him, the joy I found in watching him, and the lessons he taught me - a family is a family, no matter how it is built! Find what you need, however it manifests.