The warm sunshine spilled brightly as I climbed on the school
bus to be taken to the high school in the next town. I found
the ride rather boring that day as the bus meandered through
farm lands and hollows, past cows grazing serenely in fields
and with each stop made to pick up passengers, I was so filled
with my boredom that I never noticed the beauty of the new
green leaves that covered the once barren trees of Winter.

As I looked down over the bridge to the Juniata River that
we crossed over every day, it looked muddy from the Spring
rains. My mood was just as muddy as I sat forlorn and silent
while my fellow school mates chattered like magpies.

I thought, nothing ever happens of interest to me, same old
rut to trudge every day. I was having a first class pity party.
As we arrived , I prepared for my classes. Upon entering
Biology class, I heard the unmistakable sounds of chirping
coming from under an incubator cover. To my amazement there
were three baby chicks wobbling around and they looked like
a ball of yellow fluff complete with beaks.

Everyone gathered around and voices of "Awwww" sounded
from the girls and "Hey Man, that's neat" came from the guys.
We were instructed to be seated and taught of how baby
chicks came from fertilized eggs to fruition of birth I was no
longer bored, but delighted at the wonder of it all.

The next day's class was exciting because we were given the
chance to gently hold a chick. Much to my surprise, my name
was called out and I had won a chick to take home .

I received a little brown paper sandwich bag complete with
chick inside. As I sat behind the bus driver, little chirping
sounds were heard throughout the bus, but no one could
figure where the sounds were coming from.

Suddenly, my 15 year old heart mentally sang as we went
back over that river bridge and the farm lands never looked
so pretty to me. I had stopped feeling sorry for myself and
saw the beauty in God's creation, all because of a baby chick
that was given to me to care for.

I named him Rusty and he became my pet.

Ann Marie Fisher
©March 29, 2007