But every time she felt a gust of wind or looked up to the sky she remembered the tree trunk and relived the pain and she did not want to feel that again. So, she made herself busy - fixing up the birdhouse, welcoming new birds to the yard and enjoying the sun. Life was good and she was content.
One day as she was lounging by the pond, snacking on some left over lunch, her daydreams were interrupted by a "Hey good looking, whatcha you doing down there'?
Looking skyward the little wren saw another wren sitting on the lowest branch of the old spruce tree. Nervously she questioned, "What do you want"?
'Why do you not fly" he asked?
"Because I like it down here" she angrily replied, “plus it is none of your business so just go away and leave me alone"!
The other wren was taken by surprise for he had not expected such a hostile reply. "Well excuse me for asking," he chirped and promptly flew out of the yard and over the knoll out front.
The little wren was startled at how annoyed she had been. No one in the yard ever asked that question because most of them could never fly again.
Over the next few days the little wren listened to stories about how each of them had ended up in the shelter. From being covered in oil, caught in a barbed wire fence, shot by uncaring kids, or hit by automobiles.
Each had a different story to tell. But none had ever flown full tilt into a tree and they were impressed. The little wren felt as if she belonged there and quickly settled into her new life. As time passed her wing grew stronger and soon she could flap it with no discomfort at all.
But she had no urge fly. Although, she occasionally gave a quick hop up to the birdbath and she did move up to a higher birdhouse so she had a better view.