This is for my mother. It was written for Mother's Day. Love you Mom!

Little Pippin looked up at his mother from his pile of peas. “Mama,” he said. “Why are the mockingbirds always so happy and the mourning doves are always so sad?”

“I don’t know, love,” she answered. “Maybe they just are.”

A shout rebounded through the garden as little Pippin caught sight of his favourite cousin, Merry. The two lads went off together, Pippin’s happy, incessant chatter telling Merry everything and nothing. They disappeared around a corner.

Eglantine smiled sadly and said softly, “The mockingbirds are children, innocent and carefree, while mourning doves are mothers, filled with guilt, worries and unease.”

finis