Like a parachute, the seed of a dandelion sails across a meadow, leaving its flower-mother in search of emancipation.

A Monarch caterpillar emerges from the minuscule egg its mother carefully attached underneath a milkweed leaf. As a pupa, it will dream about flying away.

A baby opossum crawls up on its mother´s back, leaving her pouch. Hanging on tight, it slowly starts developing the idea of letting go.

A human mother patiently teaches her son to walk, preparing him to one day walk away from her.

Nature’s inventiveness for expanding, multiplying, and spreading its species takes countless different forms.

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    Lotchie Carmelo
    Lotchie Carmelo(@lotchie-carmelo)
    2 years ago

    I love it, Christer, especially the last part. Different species in different forms and in a different way of expanding, multiplying, and spreading each species.

    Lotchie Carmelo
    Lotchie Carmelo(@lotchie-carmelo)
    Reply to  Christer Norrlof
    2 years ago

    Yes. That’s why we humans are considered the highest forms of animals.

    Eric Radcliffe
    Eric Radcliffe(@eric-radcliffe)
    2 years ago

    Very thoughtful Christer, lots of reasons why we all fly the nest, courage has its own rewards too??

    Carrie OLeary
    Carrie OLeary(@carrie-oleary)
    2 years ago

    I love that you’ve used such diversely different species in your story, Christer. The dandelion leaves its parent just with a puff of wind, needing no assistance from its parent at all. The butterfly will select a safe place to lay its egg, making sure it’s on the food plant for that species. The baby opossum develops more quickly than the human one, able to choose its own time for independence. Good… Read more »

    Thompson Emate
    Thompson Emate(@thompson-emate)
    2 years ago

    I love particularly the fourth paragraph. There’s so much sense in it. It’s also deep. A nice write up.

    Marianna Pieterse
    Marianna Pieterse(@marianna-pieterse)
    2 years ago

    Christer, this was one of those beautiful stories where I couldn’t wait to read the next line. I couldn’t help thinking when reading the line about the mother and son, that it is also very much in the human nature to rebel against the way nature intended for us to eventually stand on our own feet and grown children often refuse to leave the nest! This was a well-written, thought-provoking piece.

    Marianna Pieterse
    Marianna Pieterse(@marianna-pieterse)
    Reply to  Christer Norrlof
    2 years ago

    Christer, I also heard that bald eagles do this, but that they literally push them out of the nest? It seems harsh, but like you said, it is probably about them needing their hunting territory. Nature is very interesting!

    Daisy Blacklock
    Daisy Blacklock(@daisy-blacklock)
    2 years ago

    I love the opening and how you chose to link your picture to it. You used the theme well by exploring many different ways of other creatures leaving home.

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