The first night we were in our home with our little guy, J, we noticed a small friend in our window. Let me explain the window situation first.

Above our entrance doors and windows there are diamond-shaped window-vents. They are about 10×10 (inches) and are more of a decorative piece then functional. So we’ve covered these vents with screens to keep out (unwanted) critters and heat. SO back to our first night home with the kiddo….

We arrived later at night so we quickly swept up the floors, unpacked the suitcases and put J in his bed. After switching on the outdoor lights, we saw this sweet silhouette; a small bird had nestled in the corner of one of the diamonds and evidently was planning to spend the night.

Sadly, while trying to catch a picture of this birdie, he flew away. Fast forward to these past  couple of months. We have notice, in our bedroom, as we are getting ready for bed that a little bird has been joining us nightly in the corner of one of the diamond windows again. He finds his place just as it is dark and takes off at sunrise. Casually we look to see if he is there each night and smile at the fact that the little birdie had found his comfy place again. About a week ago, I got comfortable and looked for our little friend and he wasn’t there.

A weird, almost comical, sadness swept over me and I ‘humphed‘ just a little and then went to sleep. Why I have such a weird connection with this bird, I don’t know why but it bothered me that he was missing. Anxiously, the following night I looked, and PHEW, he was back again. I will look for him even tonight.

You may feel small and insignificant. But I guarantee that someone notices. In life we will come and go but there is absolutely that someone who checks to see if you are in your corner each night. And when you are not there, there is concern and worry and wonder. Even as we are walking in the journey as a family, we often get a sense of our “smallness” in the grand scheme of things; the proverbial speck on the Dr. Seuss flower. There is, however, a Horton who is doing the checking and wanting to protect and caring.

There are days we want to wallow in our own missing but when we come back to the familiar corner, we realize that someone had been checking in each night to see if we will come back. There is then great sense of belonging and connect.

For now, the birdie will also come and go, that I understand. I will, however, strive to keep an eye for those who carry even more importance than the birdie in the window. And I will allow and revel in the idea that someone is doing the same for me!

• J xo