Mother’s Day has always been a special time for me. It’s a day to celebrate the people who nurtured us, guided us, believed in us, and helped shape who we eventually became. For me, that person was my mom.
Today, on Mother’s Day, I simply want to say: thank you, Mom. I miss you, and I love you.
When I was five years old, my mother unknowingly started me on a lifelong journey — one that eventually became not only my greatest passion, but also my career and life’s work. Long before there was an Urban Nature Store, there was a little boy, a backyard maple tree, and a simple wooden bird feeder. I can still picture it clearly.
We had a large maple tree in our backyard, and one spring day my mom helped me hang a small feeder from one of its branches. Then she gave me an important responsibility: filling the feeder and watching for the birds.
At first, I was impatient. Very impatient.
I would fill the feeder, stare out the window for five minutes, and loudly announce that “the birds aren’t coming.” My mother would smile and calmly remind me, “Paul, the birds will come. You just have to give them time.”
That lesson stayed with me for life.
Birding taught me patience in a way nothing else could. In a world that constantly pushes us toward instant gratification, nature works on its own schedule. You cannot rush a chickadee. You cannot demand a cardinal appear on cue. You learn to slow down, observe, listen, and appreciate small moments.
Standing quietly in the backyard, watching and identifying birds alongside my mother, became one of the greatest gifts of my childhood.
Those moments also taught me curiosity. Every bird was different. Why did one have stripes? Why did another sing a certain way? Why did some arrive only during migration? My mom encouraged every question. She helped me develop a deep respect not only for birds, but for the natural world as a whole.
What started as a childhood hobby slowly evolved into something much larger. Over the years, birding became a lifelong passion, and eventually that passion became my career through Urban Nature Store. Looking back now, I realize the roots of everything I do today can be traced back to those early mornings and afternoons spent with my mother in the backyard.
Even more importantly, the values she instilled in me continue to guide me every day. She taught me patience. She taught me observation. She taught me kindness toward living things. And she taught me that nature has an incredible ability to calm, heal, and connect us.
That is one of the reasons I remain so passionate about encouraging young families to take up bird feeding and birding today. Children need opportunities to connect with nature now more than ever. We live in a chaotic world dominated by screens, notifications, and endless electronic distractions. Everything moves fast. Everything demands immediate attention.
But birds don’t care about any of that.
A child sitting quietly beside a feeder learns something powerful. They learn patience. They learn focus. They learn empathy and stewardship. They learn that the world is bigger and more beautiful than what appears on a screen.
Most importantly, they create memories.
The kind of memories that last a lifetime.
This Mother’s Day, I encourage everyone to say thank you to their mom — or to whoever filled that important mother figure role in their life. Sometimes it’s a parent, sometimes a grandparent, sometimes a teacher, aunt, or family friend. Whoever helped guide you, encourage you, and nurture your passions deserves to be celebrated.
As for me, every time I hear the song of a chickadee or watch a bright Baltimore Oriole arrive in spring, I think of my mom. And I smile.
Mom, thank you for that first bird feeder. Thank you for teaching me patience. Thank you for introducing me to a passion that shaped my entire life.
I miss you every day, and I will always love you.
Paul Oliver
