i was waiting for the mother hen to gather me

i was just on my way back from the student center, when i saw a mother duck scurrying along with about 8 chicks following closely behind. i followed them for a ways. as i took my time behind them the mother quickened her pace and the little ones struggled to muster enough energy  to keep up. i couldn't help but smile. the chicks were still quite young, and weren't very coordinated. they all were stumbling clumsily along behind their mom. finally i stopped and the mother stopped with all of her children just outside my reach. when she stopped the little ones almost instantly fell on their tuckered out tummies. 

i grinned for a while and then turned and went on my way. on my walk to the dorm i couldn't help but reflect on this same kind of love that G-d shares with us. i find it interesting that one of the only places G-d is described with female attributes is in matthew. G-d is described as a mother hen who is there to protect her children under her wing. it was neat to see those little clumsy chicks crashing about behind their mother. that is often me, there i am walking in line with G-d, then a little pebble or crevice causes me to stumble. just as the little chicks, my response is to get up and quickly scurry back in line behind G-d. 

it is also neat to reflect on the idea that sometimes, as those clumsy unintelligent little chicks, we don't understand why G-d doesn't give us rest in the hustle and bustle of our lives. perhaps it is to protect us from the things that we are too small to understand. but in the end, when we are out of harms way, we get that much needed rest, and it is good to rest easy under Her wings.