I was walking a beautiful trail, not too far from home.  A place known as Conkles Hollow.  I have walked this path many times over the years.  It is one of my favorite spots as it is not too far from home and I never tire of its beauty.

However, as I walked, this particular day the birds sounded different.  The trail seemed different too.  It’s music sounded peculiar.  It sadly called me.  Entranced, I continued my journey.  It was as if my eyes were closed and I was being led by the hand of the woods.  It was a surreal feeling.  I felt a kindred to my surroundings.  I followed along blindly.

Completely trusting Nature’s cry, I continued as I was led off the man-made trail.  The further I veered off the path, the darker the forest seemed. Canopied under a cloak of pin-prickling fog, her cries became stronger.  I heard her crying in the wind-the pain of a woman’s voice and  the branches of her trees sagged in sorrow.  I listened and followed.

A rabbit leaped out in my path, startling me.  I stood looking at the rabbit as she sat there and looked at me.  After what seemed like several minutes, the rabbit turned and leaped away.  Beginning to feel like Alice in Wonderland, I followed the rabbit.  It wasn’t long, when I found why the forest was crying.

A baby rabbit, not more than a day old, lay on the ground before me.  She lay on her side, breathing fast and hard.  The ring from a plastic six-pack holder was twisted around her tiny neck.  Picking the helpless bunny up, I carefully untwisted the vice freeing her neck from the plastic noose.  I held the little bunny close.  I could see it’s mother watching me from under a bush.  I spoke to her.  ”It’s Ok Mama.  I think your baby will be alright.”

I gently rubbed my thumb down th e belly of the bunny as I slipped her inside my pocket.  ”Don’t worry Mama.  I need to warm  her up.  She is cold and shivering.”

I made myself comfortable on the floor of the forest with the little rabbit in my pocket.  Mama was watchful, but she had come up a little closer.  I kept my hand in my pocket and stroked the little rabbit who was making no attempt to stray.  Still too tired and cold from the struggle, she helplessly curled into a little ball inside my pocket.

I listened to the forest sing.  This time she sounded happy…no, she sounded relieved!  The forest was relieved.  The crying cloud of mist had lifted and the trees once again looked strong as they stood straight and proud.  I had followed my senses.  I had listened to nature.  I was led to save this little forest babe that was now sleeping peacefully in my pocket.

I looked at Mama and told her it was time I returned her baby to her.    Mama stood up on her hindlegs in response.  The baby awoke and looked at me as I eased her out of my pocket.  Evidence of her exhaustion still evident in the language of her body as she lay very still in my hand.  However, her breathing was now normal and she no longer shivered.  I placed her on the ground as close to her mother as possible without getting up and startling her.  Mama’s excitement grew as I released the baby and straightened back up where I was sitting.  ”It’s Ok Mama.  I won’t go anywhere.  I will make sure your little one stays with you.”

Mama leaped over to the baby.  Both excitedly hopped, hugged and kissed each other.  Soon Mama started hopping back toward the bush she had been huddling under, stopping to look back.  Satisfied her babe was following, she continued on.

I looked on as both disappeared somewhere under the bush.  I felt I had been blessed to have come out to my favorite trail that day.  I was blessed because Nature spoke to me and I had listened.  God spoke and I responded.  I left the woods that day with a closeness to Nature I had never before experienced.  I not only left smiling outwardly, which is a relatively easy thing to do.  I left smiling inwardly.  As I walked out of the forest, I looked back.  Just as I thought.  The Forest smiled inwardly as well.

I could think of no better story to share on Mother’s Day than this one above.  I experienced this so many years ago, however it has never left me.–The memory or the feeling.  Happy Mother’s Day Mrs. Rabbit, Happy Mother’s Day to Mother Nature and Happy Mother’s Day to my readers.  I hope this story touches you as it did me.