Several weeks ago, in April, we had a mallard duck with a broken wing fall into our yard. We'd been leaving food/water out for her and the wing was healing up but she still couldn't fly. The option of returning her to the wild, where as a non-flying duck she would immediately become part of the food chain, was not going to happen with this bunch of soft-hearted, out-spoken Bradbury children. (How did they learn to express their opinions so well, so loudly, and so often?). We have tried to keep away from her, we don't want to tame her, but it was looking more and more like we would have a new family member.
But today, in mid-June, I noticed that her food hadn't been touched for a few days. She hasn't been "quacking" us awake at dawn lately, either. Tonight I went out specifically to look for her before Max cut the grass, and I couldn't find her. She wasn't in her favorite spots—under the rhubarb or under the lillies, or anywhere else in the backyard. I guess she's healed and "flown the coop."
We wondered many times how a duck with such a badly broken wing could have gotten into our completely fenced-in yard. Experts I consulted said she would never fly again, or would die in our yard.
At the same time, everything was catching up with me and I felt like I was crashing now that I didn't need to be so on top of things. But I also couldn't sleep and couldn't stop worrying about the "what if's?" I'd been falling apart the last few weeks. And now I had this stupid duck to worry about.
But she came, she healed, and she left as mysteriously as she had come. I think she was an angel. Can ducks be angels? She seems to have been a powerful symbol to me. I'd have to be blind (in many ways) to miss the similarities to our life. Whatever it was, I feel refreshed and empowered to continue. I feel much better about Alex, almost as if someone has whispered in my ear that things will be okay, no matter what.
I can't help but see the similarity to own lives. A miraculous Healing in the face of adversity. A duck (and a boy) who beat overwhelming odds. The duck's recovery to the point of being able to fly out of a fenced-in yard defies everything I was told would likely happen. Alex has done so well since finishing his treatments. He's active, cheerful, happy. His fine motor control is improving greatly....his teacher says she can now actually read his printing! We've been reducing his headache meds and the headaches haven't returned, so far, so good.
Yesterday, Alex was doing his homework, tossing his eraser in the air, and catching it after doing every question. I asked him what he was doing. "I'm rejoicing," he said. Rejoicing...for being able to answer his homework.
Alex is my Duck. Her ability to beat the odds and fly is what I believe is happening for Alex. I have the utmost faith in his ability to fly, too. My instincts tell me so. And you all know how much I've depended on my instincts these last two years.
Hurray! Our duck has healed. Our Alex is healing. Our family is also healing. It's definitely 'Time for Rejoicing!'
So don't think I'm too off-the-wall here, but ......Can ducks be angels?
Brenda Bradbury
