A few months ago I stepped out on my patio and noticed around one of the hanging chimes the beginning of the making of a nest. So tiny, I could not believe it. Each day I watched as my resident humming bird earnestly, twig by twig, created and built a nest.

In a week or so it was done and then she began sitting in it, day by day until a few weeks later, she lay two eggs. Would you believe they weren't any bigger than the size of my fingernail? Daily I would sit out on the deck watching this scenario and I feel this is when she began to trust me more, I would talk with her and I shared how I appreciated that I was privy to share in this sacred time. Within three weeks she hatched two baby humming birds.

I continued to watch the progress as day by day for the next three weeks she would leave the nest fly away for five minutes and then return feeding them. She would let me get right near them, I found myself talking to her as I would to any woman that has had a baby. When she left the nest I would sit out there to be sure they were safe until she retuned. I was privy to watching them turn from two little balls of fur and become full grown. I would talk to them whenever I stepped out on the deck. What a marvel and a privilege to be part of nature's unfolding story.

Two days ago the first one left the nest, I knew it was ready as early in the morning as I sat out there sipping coffee, I watched it fluffing its wings and then poof it was gone. The other stayed until yesterday. As again, after walking my medicine wheel, I took my cup of coffee and I sat out there in the early am around 5. I looked up and noticed that the other baby tried spreading its wings only to glide to the floor of the deck, near a wall. I wanted to assist it but I knew not to touch it, so I brought out a plastic cup and slipped it beneath the bird and was able to deposit it back into the nest, all the time fearing that it may have been injured in the fall from the nest. Within 10 minutes it flew into the tree next to the house. I walked over and saw that it was safe and it sat there for about an hour before setting out on its life journey.

I continued to sit on the porch and the Mama flew back buzzing back and forth looking for it, she stopped within 6 inches of my face and looked at me as if to ask, "What happened to my baby?" She did this for about a half hour, flying back and forth buzzing. I began having a conversation with her, as I would any mother, telling her that it was time they left the comfort of their nest and she had given them all they needed for their journey, she had born them.

Well it is quiet this morning out on the deck. I began recalling how it felt when each of my children left the nest and wondered if and how they would make it. I always felt that the animal kingdom knew how to raise kids, feed them, nurture them, teach them to hunt or gather their food and then let them go. But witnessing the Mama Hummer buzzing, frantically looking for her baby, told me we are all the same when it comes to wanting a safe harbor for our children.

I thought of my 6 children and wish for they and their families a safe nest; one filled with love, understanding, patience, acceptance, forgiveness and love. I know that all I can do is continue to hold that Sacred Space for each of them.

During the two months of watching, waiting and reveling in the process, I learned patience. As I watched the mother again twig by twig, sitting on the eggs, then feeding them, not wondering if she was doing it right, just doing it, I was humbled by the full experience and learned that love knows no difference between human, plant, animal, mineral or any of its kingdoms.

Love is the knowing, the caring, the all around essence that pervades our universe. It is always there and like a mother has provided everything we need, and then gives us free will to take our journey. It never leaves us, we just sometimes forget it is there.

My dear friends, love weaves itself, all we need to do is allow it to take its own form and path within each of us.

Shirley Catanzaro's sole purpose is to assist humankind's journey back to our innate, inner source... allowing our inner source to grow and to open itself to infinite possibilities and choices. Please visit her site, The Portal of Transformation and learn about the program she produced with Marianne Petrillo, The Awakening Process.

Daring to be Yourself The aim of this book is to help you achieve a 'wide-awake' state of consciousness, with integrated use of left and right brain abilities, forming the bedrock for breakthroughs in personal consciousness and spiritual insight. The practice is based on the premise that we have learned disabilities which set boundaries to our action and knowing. But no one need accept that they must remain as they were shaped by their hereditary body-mind and by the conditioning of their childhood and culture. This 264-page paperback book is like a "best of" the trans4mind site - that you can read snuggled up on the sofa, away from the computer! But much more than that, it's also an incredibly powerful program for personal growth. Remove the barriers to self-knowledge and reveal your full potential with this step-by-step approach. Our Blog features excerpts from the book plus current news, views and links. "I realize many people use praise in ways that sound frivolous...but I must tell you that your book has changed my life AND I mean that in all ways. I found the entire work wonderfully upbeat, readable and valuable! It really was quite a wakeup call. In the midst of my "trials and tribulations" I had failed to be "me." Anyway, this "talk with you" really did change my life. Thank you! I needed this kind of "kick in the pants." It worked. WOW! You made a huge difference in my world."–Becky, USA