I saw the most tragic example of the mothering instinct this last week. Steen, Spencer, and I were driving to a friend's house when we saw a mini traffic jam up ahead. Upon closer inspection we realized that people had stopped to try to help some ducks in the road. A mother duck and her two adolescent ducklings (not tiny but also not full grown) were crossing the road and someone hit the two ducklings. One of the ducklings was dead, the other was just miserable with a broken back. People were trying to get close enough to move them out of the middle of the road, but the momma was protecting her little ones fiercely. She went back and forth between the ducks, nudging them to try to get them walking, covering them with her wings, and squawking and hissing at anyone who got too close. We didn't stay too long, just long enough for me to feel the tug on my heart strings and start bawling. It was tragic, and yet so beautiful to see that example of a mothers love. It made me more appreciative of the line of ducklings we saw waddling behind their momma when we were driving home.
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