Not quite leaving the nest...And other such nonsense

Yesterday, I walked outside to water my flowers and the baby bird that had been so happily perched in it's nest, came a fluttering down at me and my son Hayes.  It ended up landing in a bush, and next to my pushing the half dead baby deer experience (I'll save that story for a boring day), I have never felt so bad for a little baby animal.  I thought for sure I had scared it into the big bad world.  I knew it's chirping would taunt me all day long "why didn't you save me", "my mommy left me", "what kind of a person are you", so I called my brother (wildlife ecology major) to ask him what to do.  "It is a fledgling" he said and told me to leave it alone.  He informed me that once they can leave the nest, the mother will feed it, or she won't, and it isn't my fault if it dies.  That sort of comforted me, and mostly just made me think about that mother.  Why would she leave it?  Then I started thinking about my little fledgling. Now I know he's not off to college as one would usually save the phrase "leaving the nest" for, but he is just starting to walk and I can't help but compare it to learning to fly.  I can't help but be a little sad that he is one literal step closer to not needing me.  I rejoice in it and love watching him become independent, but if I'm honest, there's a part of me that grieves a little too.  Later I walked outside again, and the bird flew up onto my porch - he learned to fly.  And I thought to myself, I need to promise to give up my controlling tendencies and just let Hayes become the independent little man God intended him to be.  This controlling mommy bird learned a valuable lesson from a cardinal.

Also, completely unrelated, but almost as important - my one word of advice to men, any age, any size, who speak to anyone: Never mention naked activities (unless I guess this is a potential romance, but even then, I wouldn't suggest it).  It is seriously gross.  I say any age, but especially if you are over a certain age.  Do not talk to anyone, women in particular about anything you do in the nude.  i.e. Do NOT talk to me about your cold shower, how you used to shower naked with your wife, or anything else you do with your wife.  It is very important for you to never speak of naked activities - do we have an understanding?  Thank-you.