Meet the Man Who Learned How To Be a Father From a Magpie

Charlie Gilmore had a fear of having children and had long ago decided that children were best left to the professionals.

His father had abandoned him at six months old, and he feared that he would follow in those same footsteps.

Even though Gilmore had later received some form of an explanation from his mother. And he grew up with a father figure after his mother remarried. Gilmore just couldn’t shake the fear of bringing a child into the world.

After explaining his fear to his partner, who had broached the subject. She reminded him of a magpie that Gilmore had recently mothered after she had been rescued.

They had named the magpie Benzene after her brightly colored feathers. Gilmore had fed her and raised her much like anyone would a baby. Becoming her foster mother and forming a close and unbreakable bond.

Even when the time came to release Benzene, she decided against it and flew back to Gilmore’s arm.

It was completely because of this experience that Gilmore decided that he might be able to handle being a parent. 

There was still plenty of fear, but much like the magpie, an instant bond was created with his newborn daughter.

Benzene passed away suddenly, but Gilmore’s daughter is now two years old. And he holds her as his memory of the magpie that helped him through his fear of having children.

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