Well-meaning friends and colleagues have told me throughout my life that I need to stop worrying and learn to let things go, like water rolling off a duck’s back. Let the opinions and actions of others roll right off my back.
It felt like a good time to bring that metaphor to life, for so many reasons, so I bought myself a birthday gift that I have wanted since I was a child; two ducklings. I’m in love.
The ducklings came from Riverbound Farm in Elora, part of their duckling education program that teaches those of us who only ever had a rubber duckie in the bathtub how to take care of real, living baby ducks. I’m learning how to raise and nurture them to become friends with our other feathered friends in a free-range lifestyle.
This is the best money I’ve spent on myself for something that brings me an abundance of joy. Sure, I have to clean up after them and feed them daily, but routines make me happy. Also, these ducks make me laugh. On a bad day, something as simple as placing a bowl of water on the lawn and watching two ducklings hopping into it is a beautiful reminder that nothing matters as much as we think it does.
My hope is these little quackers will imprint on me, sort of like how the chickens, the chipmunks and basically all woodland creatures have done to the Carpenter (remember, we call him Disney Princess for a reason). If my training is effective, the ducks will ignore their fellow feathered companions and the Carpenter’s animal magnetism, to be loyal and fully enamoured with me.
I put a lot of thought into naming my ducks. These made the list: Lucky Duck and Plucky Duck, because in my life, I have been both and I continue to be. Also rhyming is fun. Mind you, another word that rhymes with duck was not allowed because my mother would wash my mouth out with soap, and I’m not ashamed to admit that still impacts my adult decisions. Lame Duck and Dead Duck were scrapped for obvious reasons. Of course, one was going to be Bill (come on, that’s funny).
Then my daughter took me to see the musical Wicked for my birthday, which is my absolute favourite show. It’s the tale of how the Wicked Witch of the West became the character of perceived evil in the Wizard of Oz fable.
The story, written by Gregory Maguire, is funny and heart-warming, showing the power of friendship and believing in oneself in the face of adversity. Good versus evil, even if it makes you the evil one in someone else’s story. We are all evil in someone else’s narrative. We have to know who we are and hold on to our integrity in the face of it, even if we go it alone. Powerful message.
So, my ducks are now named Elphaba, Wicked Witch of the West (the black feathered beauty), and Glinda the Good Witch of the North (the yellow sweet darling). Forces of love and light in a world that needs more of both. Elphaba and Glinda let life roll right off their delicate, yet strong and capable backs. I’m inspired. Did I mention I’m in love?
Everything is just ducky around here. And so it is.
Grateful.
