An Answer as Plain as the Nose on My Face….
I'm not even gonna ask if you've ever asked God to make something clear to you when a decision had to be made…cause I kinda already know that you have. From purchasing a home to accepting a job on down to what dress you should wear to that interview or that wedding…go ahead…admit it..you've done it. You've asked and He has answered.
I'm officially and abruptly an empty-nester, and to make things more fun and interesting, at the very moment when my oldest daughter left for college, my slightly younger daughter took off to a far away state to serve a family in great need. And because this is my life, yes, precisely at the same moment (or so it seemed) my husband, Mr. Ten Days, accepted a huge new responsibility at work requiring more travel now than in our twenty-five years of marriage. And let me tell you, he'll dang well be traveling even more, cause he best be takin me on one whopping anniversary trip!
So, there I sat in a quiet, empty house. I remember not so long ago when I used to revel in moments like those. I called it "soaking up the silence". My friends would call and ask "whatcha doin"? And I'd reply, "soakin' up the silence". Well, after 82 days (but who's counting?) of soaking up the silence in this once revolving door of a house, I do not care to languish in another second of silence.
At my lamenting, many friends have suggested that I get a dog. I discussed this idea with Mr. Ten Days very early on in our "new normal", and was met with what one might call 'hostility' where words like divorce and other plausible threats were tossed around. But, after witnessing shall we say "several" melt-downs, which resulted in the purchase of a very nice purse and a wonderful coat, Mr. Ten Days actually suggested himself that the purchase of a dog might be in order, after all.
I had put a great deal of thought into acquiring a sweet little thing that would love and comfort me through my empty-nest transitional days, and yet, I hesitated. In my pursuit of a suitable companion, I had entertained the unlikely idea of a bird. A talking bird. A beautiful talking bird. The kind that you see on "Pet Tricks" that would actually lay in my arms like a baby and snuggle! And talk!
Mr. Ten Days was adamantly opposed to such an addition to our family, but frankly was so beaten down and confused by the unhappy woman who had replaced his once-happy wife, he was pretty much willing to do anything (legal) to make me "snap out of it".
That's about when my neighbor told me about the gorgeous pure white cockatoo that someone wanted to give him. This beautiful creature performed all the cute cuddly antics seen on "Pet Tricks". My neighbor's family hated this bird…don't ask…so he and I felt that the perfect solution was for him to give me the bird. He could come by and visit it and bring it to work with him like he always did, and I would have a little companion to chat with and cheer me up. WOW! A free beautiful loving snuggly cockatoo? Come to Mama!
So that morning over he comes with his wife who is my dear friend, to introduce me to "Cotton" the cockatoo. Sidenote: I did make it a point to ask God to make it perfectly clear to me if this bird was to be my own new child-replacement. My neighbor walked in, bird on shoulder. I remained calm and confident, just like the internet said I should be upon introduction. Cotton seemed to like me. She climbed up my arm, sat on my shoulder, and cooed at me. I cooed back. We were connecting! It was a beautiful thing! Then in one lightning-quick strike of a move, Cotton took her strong- enough-to-break your-finger off (and that 's a fact) beak and bite me on the nose!
As blood gushed and required pressure, I got the distinct impression that this bird was a no-go.
I had asked God to make it plain…well, He did…as plain as the nose on my face!
