Lessons from nature; what a trapped bird in my chimney reminded me about life and running a small business.

Last Wednesday an animal (later confirmed to be a bird) fell down my chimney flue and got stuck. Access to the flue was restricted and I couldn't get it out

For 3 days it scratched against the sides of the metal flue as it tried to climb up. This had not happened before and so I started calling animal rescue organisations, my local council, possum and bird removal businesses as well as posting on local Facebook pages but no one could help. 

I tried putting a rope down the chimney (thinking that if it was a possum it could climb up). I left to take my kids to their sports lessons, and when I returned, I heard no sounds. I was so relieved. But early the next morning the scratching started again and my heart sank. During the day the scratching was loud and incessant. It was stressful to listen to but not half as stressful as being stuck in a dark, sooty, chimney I guess. 

On the third day, I felt like I was fresh out of ideas. I googled one last time "how to remove a bird from your chimney flue".  A chimney sweep appeared in the results and I gave him a call. Similar to every other business I called, he were super busy and couldn't come out. However, he was kind enough to talk me through how to disassemble part of the fireplace to give me access to the flue. 

I left the fireplace door open while I dropped my kids at school. I was going to try the disassembly as soon as I came home. When I returned, the bird was in the kitchen! It had managed to squeeze through a tiny gap. In a desperate attempt to get out, it started flying into windows. I opened all the doors and stayed quietly in a different room. Eventually, the bird found the door and as I came out it flew straight up into the sky. It was a beautiful thing to see.

was a peek into nature and it reminded me of some valuable lessons that I can apply to both life and running a small business.

 

1 Resilience and perseverance

This bird somehow fell down our chimney but fought to survive. For 3 days it tried to find a way out until he finally did find a way out.  

*Sometimes we're knocked down and we find ourselves in a situation we don't know how to get out of. Keep trying, you never know how or when a solution will be presented to you

2 Patience and following your intuition

Every day the bird would start scratching and each night it would rest.  It waited patiently and followed its own intuitive rhythm to ensure the best chance of survival. 

*Even when you feel rushed or pressured to take action, slow down and follow your gut.

3 Trust and letting go

I wasn't prepared to let the bird die in the chimney but I had no idea how to help it. I tried many things that didn't work. In the end, all I had to do was open the door and let things naturally unfold.

*When you feel that fierce drive to do something, lean into it, even when you aren't sure of how to make it happen. This is especially important when it comes to helping those in need.