What Makes Us Human?

   The above image was a recent event within the area I work. On the left if the pic of a baby falcon/eagle that was clearly a former resident of the next pictured on the right. I heard that the bird had an infection near it's mouth, ate very little during nursing back to health, and died a few days after the pic was taken. One theory was that the bird was pushed out of the nest due to it's ilness. True or not, it made me think of my little guys.
   Whether our rug rats have minor sniffles, leg aches, and such, we do all that we can to nurse them back to health. We carry wads of tissues in our pockets. We try to stay awake in the wee hours to rub a leg that's aching to the point of tears. We stroke strands of sweaty hair on a feverish head that has any number of illness attached to it. We hold and rub "owwies" or any sort to make sure our little ones are okay to play another while.
   Does it please you too, that we don't push them out of the nest, or abandon them to their demise. Granted, natural selection helps with overpopulation, but we won't get into that here. I was just marveling at what lengths we go to for our own. I've been calling it the "papa bear" (or "mama bear") effect. Whether we protect health or feelings, we all go "papa bear" at some point. It doesn't matter how loud or quiet any of us are. We will all go "papa bear" if it gets to a certain point.

Here's to all you "papa bears" out there.

J.