The Artist, The Junior Farmer, and The Eagle

An Idea is an egg.

There are many kinds of eggs.

They come in many colors.

They come in many sizes.

Some eggs are very small.

Some eggs are really big.

Sometimes, very small eggs can have really a big impact.

Sometimes, really big eggs can have a very small impact.

Big or small, eggs are great things.

The word great has more than one meaning.

Eggs are great, but not all eggs are great.

Some eggs are made great.

Eggs must be nurtured in order to survive.

They must be kept from getting too cold.

Some eggs become lost or forgotten.

These eggs can become stale or rotten.

Sometimes they just shrivel up and disappear as though they never existed.

It may be sad to think of how many time this happens, but it's a part of life.

This particular egg is truly great in every sense of the word.

The circumstances of its incubation may be questionable.

It may bear a resemblance to eggs that came before, but it is unique and wonderful.

It may seem fragile, but this is a powerful egg.

Like a plan, this egg was hatched.

A nestling is a plan.

This is a great nestling.

It came from a great egg.

This doesn't mean that its destiny was manifest from some higher power.

It simply shows that the answer to the age-old question of which came first is "the egg."

No matter how great an egg is, keeping a nestling alive is hard work.

Some of the same rules apply.

Cold or inaction can kill a nestling.

Things are a bit sticky in the beginning of the life of a nestling.

It may seem fuzzy, or like there's too much fluff.

With care, the nestling will grow and mature.

A certain amount of brooding must take place.

The largest concentration of effort goes toward keeping the nestling sustained.

It's always helpful to set a schedule so as to make regular progress with the nestling.

The nestling may have its own schedule, so flexibility is important.

This part of the process can seem like the longest, but soon the nestling will yield a fledgling.

A fledgling is creation.

This fledgling seems different from those of other eggs.

It seems to have its own personality.

It even has it's own idea of the way things should be done.

This occurrence may come as a surprise, but it should be encouraged.

Like the fluff, parts may be shed or even enhanced later if necessary in order to display the true color of the fledgling.

Many seemingly robust fledglings fail to survive.

Some fledglings, hatched from bad eggs and/or without the proper nestling phase, fail.

Others in the same circumstances thrive.

Still others thrive, but only for a time.

Some fall victim to predators.

Some become bloated and perish.

It may seem unfair, but this is the way of the world.

This fledgling is still young, but amazingly developed.

Cause may be found to be amused or entertained by it as well as to fear, reject, or respect it.

A lot of effort went into this.

Further work must be done to ensure that good comes from it.

At some point it's necessary for the fledgling to take flight.

It can overcome its possibly dubious beginnings and mistakes.

It can live up to its original promise,

the promise that is one amazing egg.