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| Important Life Advice -- unless you think you are the Conductor |
Thursday, September 29, 2011
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BusterStronghart@Gmail.com
A letter from a friend, September 2011
A letter from a friend, September 2011
Leading from the Bottom Up! Arnold Lewis
For the Birds
We have new additions to the family, two cockatoos, golden white with really yellow plumes. They are young, and when they arrived were naturally scared and stayed close together on one of their perches. They didn’t eat, and watched every move by other member of the household.
The first day, Ney, a black Pug, went over to see them. He was interested, maybe a bit jealous. He put his hands on the trunk lid where they were living, and looked, interested. He figured out, possibly, that they were in a cage and posed no additional threat to his reign.
We, or I, kept, our cat, Sir Thomas, away, not because I was afraid of what he’d do, but I didn’t want to stress the birds. After a few days, he went to look, with moderate supervision. One of the newbies squawked before he got close, and he went tearing back to his rooms. So much for bravery or protecting the realm. Both Ney and Thomas have adjusted to sharing this kingdom, somewhat at least, with a wary eye from Thomas. But, any change is suspect to many of us.
Ney now ignores them. Tommy is only moderately interested and prefers watching the outside birds as they land in the apartment window boxes. He becomes more interested in the inside birds after they are covered for the night. He doesn’t like things hidden. Closed doors and coverings often prevent our knowing what we need to know.
After a couple of days, the new guys – really a guy and gal – are adjusted, enjoy being on the balcony swinging and watching the city from their little protected world. They are eating well, and aren’t bothered by the hand bringing their food. They have learned that the bowls of food are good things and eat while keeping an eye on any major movement by the others living here. Or, they ignore any movements because they were happily eating breakfast or snacking during the day.
They now choose what to eat from the bowls containing different foods. They share with each other. One is more hesitant, the other a bit braver, ignoring the people around. They have little personalities, and are learning quickly. They are much smarter than I thought birds to be. How stupid of me. Instinct perhaps, but I see some thought processes, from their perspective, of course. Why would they choose from which bowl to eat? Why do they pull on the green seed plants to get the seeds that are inside? There are other choices, and choices is the right word. Why do they now not fear the bowls being put into the cage and then go to those bowls, seemingly happily, one bowl or another, not in given order, but as they seem to want things from each bowl containing different foods? They are safe and can do other things like play with their toys. Yes, of course, they have some built in basics from which they choose. But, don’t we all? And, don’t we all do better when we feel secure?
I look at the animals in our world of apartments and airplanes and see them choose to do things that have purpose to them– but they choose to do what is best at the time. I can’t figure out how far ahead they plan, but they do plan ahead. Tommy, in particular, as he’ll do some fake moves and patiently wait – sometimes a long time, until he can accomplish his goals. I suppose there is some applicable truth for all of us in their actions. Long-term vision vs. short-term gain, for instance.
How people cannot gain insight into other creatures living with us I have no idea – except they either do not watch and think, or they do not think at all.
Sometimes human arrogance toward the rest of the world is unbelievable. It seems very sad to me that this arrogance is so common among most so-called leaders and elected officials. However, we get whom we elect and hire. And, the elected are hired for the job of helping the majority of the people hiring, aren’t they? I think we need to improve the education systems by teaching people actually to think instead of regurgitating inanities and unproven belief systems based upon other belief systems. I think beliefs ought to be validated by observation and personal proof rather than being based upon ignorance foisted upon us by those with particular interests of serving themselves first. I think we ought to teach thinking. It seems so rare to me.
We have new additions to the family, two cockatoos, golden white with really yellow plumes. They are young, and when they arrived were naturally scared and stayed close together on one of their perches. They didn’t eat, and watched every move by other member of the household.
The first day, Ney, a black Pug, went over to see them. He was interested, maybe a bit jealous. He put his hands on the trunk lid where they were living, and looked, interested. He figured out, possibly, that they were in a cage and posed no additional threat to his reign.
We, or I, kept, our cat, Sir Thomas, away, not because I was afraid of what he’d do, but I didn’t want to stress the birds. After a few days, he went to look, with moderate supervision. One of the newbies squawked before he got close, and he went tearing back to his rooms. So much for bravery or protecting the realm. Both Ney and Thomas have adjusted to sharing this kingdom, somewhat at least, with a wary eye from Thomas. But, any change is suspect to many of us.
Ney now ignores them. Tommy is only moderately interested and prefers watching the outside birds as they land in the apartment window boxes. He becomes more interested in the inside birds after they are covered for the night. He doesn’t like things hidden. Closed doors and coverings often prevent our knowing what we need to know.
After a couple of days, the new guys – really a guy and gal – are adjusted, enjoy being on the balcony swinging and watching the city from their little protected world. They are eating well, and aren’t bothered by the hand bringing their food. They have learned that the bowls of food are good things and eat while keeping an eye on any major movement by the others living here. Or, they ignore any movements because they were happily eating breakfast or snacking during the day.
They now choose what to eat from the bowls containing different foods. They share with each other. One is more hesitant, the other a bit braver, ignoring the people around. They have little personalities, and are learning quickly. They are much smarter than I thought birds to be. How stupid of me. Instinct perhaps, but I see some thought processes, from their perspective, of course. Why would they choose from which bowl to eat? Why do they pull on the green seed plants to get the seeds that are inside? There are other choices, and choices is the right word. Why do they now not fear the bowls being put into the cage and then go to those bowls, seemingly happily, one bowl or another, not in given order, but as they seem to want things from each bowl containing different foods? They are safe and can do other things like play with their toys. Yes, of course, they have some built in basics from which they choose. But, don’t we all? And, don’t we all do better when we feel secure?
I look at the animals in our world of apartments and airplanes and see them choose to do things that have purpose to them– but they choose to do what is best at the time. I can’t figure out how far ahead they plan, but they do plan ahead. Tommy, in particular, as he’ll do some fake moves and patiently wait – sometimes a long time, until he can accomplish his goals. I suppose there is some applicable truth for all of us in their actions. Long-term vision vs. short-term gain, for instance.
How people cannot gain insight into other creatures living with us I have no idea – except they either do not watch and think, or they do not think at all.
Sometimes human arrogance toward the rest of the world is unbelievable. It seems very sad to me that this arrogance is so common among most so-called leaders and elected officials. However, we get whom we elect and hire. And, the elected are hired for the job of helping the majority of the people hiring, aren’t they? I think we need to improve the education systems by teaching people actually to think instead of regurgitating inanities and unproven belief systems based upon other belief systems. I think beliefs ought to be validated by observation and personal proof rather than being based upon ignorance foisted upon us by those with particular interests of serving themselves first. I think we ought to teach thinking. It seems so rare to me.
Arnold Lewis
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