Home is Where I’m Loved

When you think of home, your mind probably thinks of a loving family, living in a house. Right? Well, have you ever thought of home from an animal’s perspective? And how about a goose’s perspective? How different or the same do you think it would be? In a cozy nest at the edge of a lake, there were two adult geese. The female goose had just laid 6 eggs, and was waiting for them to hatch. She was a very patient goose. She was content just looking at the smooth water of the lake. It was a hot day, but they were shaded by an umbrella of birch trees, so they were fine. And then one day the chicks hatched! And there was a new family! But one day, one of the chicks disappeared. The couple was determined to find the missing chick. They were a loving family from a lovely home, and they needed a member of their family back. Meanwhile, in the forest nearby, the lost chick was wandering around. Then an owl spoke, from its perch on a nearby douglas fir tree. “Hello little chick, what are you doing away from home?” The little chick answered… “What is home, and what does it mean?” “Home is where you live, and where you’re loved. It’s also where you're fed and kept away from danger.” And the owl flew away. The little chick thought about this. “I now know what home is. My family at home loves me, they feed me and keep me healthy. I’m very glad I left or I might have never known this.” Then the little chick heard a goose calling, and immediately knew it was her mother, from home. The little chick waddled to her, and they waddled back home, where she was loved, fed, and protected from danger.