No matter how much we plan our days and the routines we follow, Life often throws in some unexpected and thankfully truly pleasant surprises for us to experience. As Albert Einstein said “Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous”. So there I was 3 days ago bringing in my washing, when I heard this really clear and persistant chirping. Looking in the trees and on the roof, I was looking for this bird with a new song. It seemed to be getting louder and nearer, however I wasn’t able to see it. Then, for some reason I looked down and there, crawling towards me was a baby hedgehog. He was chirping quite frantically 
and now that I knew where the noise was coming from, realised that I had been hearing this chirping for a while. So there was this little creature crawling towards me and who stopped at my feet. I was in awe and in some strange way felt that the baby had come to me for help. I picked up the little hedgehog and walked around to see if I could spot a nest anywhere, whilst remembering that a few weeks ago, when going to work early morning, there had been an adult hedgehog in front of the garage door and we had shared a little dance, whilst I opened the garage door. So I knew there were others around and very likey this had been the mother. I asked the neighbours if they knew about a nest and although they had also mentioned seeing a hedgehog and hearing the chirping, they did not know it’s location.
By now they baby had snuggled into my hand and fallen asleep. I offered it some fruit however it didn’t eat any. What did I know of feeding small hedgehogs. Anyway, come nightfall I put the little animal back under a bush in the hope that mum would come looking for it during the night and hear its calls. Well she didn’t and the next morning around midday, I found the little creature lying in the middle of the paving, weak and exhausted. Without hesitation this time, I took the little creature into my care. I put him in a little box and gave him some structured water to drink. After a few short minutes of drinking he immediately began to perk up and I realised that the poor little hedgehog was probably dehydrated and terribly hungry. What could I feed little Hedgie? I offered some bread which fortunately he turned his nose up at (cause I found out later that bread is a no no for hedgehogs). Having mentioned at work earlier in the morning about the hedgehog I remembered a colleague saying that Hedgehogs ate bugs and were good to have in the garden. So, I took some of my cats meat and offered a bit to Hedgie. Well it hit the spot and I was so thrilled to see that the baby was old enough to eat solids and could eat on its own.
Then little Hedgie curled up under a little towel and fell asleep exhausted. I have a feeling mum is no longer around or for some reason abandoned the nest and so I will be looking after my new unexpected visitor until he is big and strong enough to fend for himself. Will just check in with the local hedgehog rescue service to see what else I can do for this little chap. For now, he spends lots of time sleeping and wakes up to eat. He makes cute little grunting noises, whilst sleeping, much like a baby does when they suck their dummies. Very cute. I know he feels safe cause he has stopped that urgent chirping.
I gave strict instructions to my cat Merlot to leave him alone and bless her she does. She wasn’t too impressed with me when I took him in and gave me that feline look, as only cats can. I just told her to get over herself though and continue to sneak some of her meat aside for our little visitor.
What a De-Light-Full experience this is, I am having. It reminds me of that song, “All things bright and beautiful, all Creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.” I feel so honoured by this little creature and am thoroughly enjoy nurturing and caring for it. How did I get so lucky?
In Light.
Trilby
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Trilby Johnson is an Intuitive Well-Being Facilitator and the Founder of Connective Embodiment(TM), a Radio Host and a distributor for Natural Action Structured Water Units.
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