Chicka the Chickadee

By Carl K. Harris

Chicka the Chickadee woke up this morning feeling unlike herself, usually she is energetic and eager to fly. However, this particular morning she is sluggish. She is in no hurry to fly to the bird bath, no hurry to go search for  breakfast. She is in no hurry. She is moving slowly. Chicka had the sniffles, she sneezes oh no Chicka is coming down with a cold.

Every morning the pine tree where she and other family members live, the chickadees sing their song Fee-bee, Fee-bee to alert family and friends that they are present and awake. Just like humans do, we make noise to alert other members that we are awake and well. But this morning and the ending of winter, Chicka is coming down with a cold.  Thus, when she heaves and puffs, and tries to blow her tune, not a sound, sigh, nor harp is heard, in fact her throat is sore. Scratchy, dry and thumping, she hopes that it will not stop her from taking her medicine. She had to act fast, she did not want her cold to turn  into a flu. The flu is not good, for birds nor their human friends, (you and me)...what should Chicka the Chickadee do?

First...she should not panic, a cold will happen now and then. It will take its course, but your body has a plan of action to fight colds. (The Immune System) all you must do is tell your parents and they will make sure that you get enough food for energy and plenty of rest in a warm place. The plan is to allow your body to do what nature has already been instructed to do, fight the cold.  You just have to do those three things, eat, sleep and wait, and another thing that is most important any know what is most important. While your body is fighting the cold, you must remember to wash your hands often, and sneeze in the folds of your arm (Isolating your germs). WASHEY-WASHEY wash those hands.

With that advice Chicka went out a began eating as many seeds (her favorite seeds are black shell sunflower seeds, she loves the berries on the pine and she drank a lot of clean water.  She knew by nature that the natural solution to her cold is to feed it and allow her immune system to do the job already created within her, as a gift from God.

Chicka then returned to her nest and curled up under her blanket to heat up. She slept for three days and when she awoke, first thing she did was alert her family in the tree and those flying by Fee-bee, Fee-bee. She was checking in, telling her family that she was sick but not she is alright.

"The more we work together, together the more prevent measures the healthier we'll be. Because your germs are your germs and my germs are my germs...the less germs we share the happier and healthier we will be.

(Anything placed in parentheses just means, reader must elaborate and explain)

s is where our journey