Plucky

February 27, 2025

I always thought the robins had the right idea built deep into their genetic code: Each November, they'd hightail it en masse out of Rochester, escaping to southern resort towns with way better winter buffets than our environment can provide. The past decade or so has been milder, so more and more of them have been electing to tough out the season up here in Nature's Refrigerator, and it's no longer uncommon to see them poking the ground for grub in mid-February.

This winter, though, has been so frigid and snowy that even my dogs give me a reproachful look when I send them outside. So you have to admire the bird in the above photo that my daughter Ella snapped last week. The little dude may be wondering how the heck he let himself get in this situation, but, by golly, he's not going to let some ice glaze keep him from spearing a frozen berry breakfast. (He was successful.)

Ella's photo has been flitting around in my mind these past couple of weeks—not just for its beauty, but for what it represents. We’ve all been there: We make choices that seem smart at the time, only to find ourselves in an unexpected struggle. Maybe it’s a job, a commitment, a move, or simply a challenge we didn’t fully anticipate. We wonder how we got here. But like that robin, we do what we can to thrive, to adapt, and to press forward despite the ice around us. This is something we want our kids to understand early: Discomfort and challenge aren’t setbacks; they’re stepping stones. Every time they push through a tough situation, they gain confidence and grit. They see they can face obstacles and come out stronger on the other side.

And sometimes, those experiences give us a new perspective... like next year, I bet that robin will opt for a beachfront winter retreat. I might even take the hint too and finally book a February getaway: I'm imagining a sun-drenched escape with a lavish spread, where the only ice in sight is in my strawberry margarita.

—Deb