POSITIVELY PENGUIN

Penguins are remarkable birds. They have such positive medicine and they make my heart smile.

The penguin is a flightless bird, and though unable to fly through the air, it is more than equipped to “fly” through the water with great speed and agility, using its powerful wings as flippers to propel them. I smile when I see this unique flight of the penguin because in its own special design, it reminds me to lean not on my own understanding in things, but to trust in Creator who has a higher purpose and plan for the unique way we are made. The obvious and common may not be the way Creator intends to lead us all, but our special life path is no less beautiful or purposeful.

Was reading just today that penguins spend up to 75 percent of their lives in the ocean and are constantly swallowing salty sea water when catching prey. Creator has equipped these beautiful birds with a special gland behind their beak which helps them filter out the salt from the water so they are able to swallow it. This unique ability to filter suggests to me the importance of doing the same with the things I "swallow" by what I choose to hear, see and learn. By constantly filtering these things, my mind stays full of pure thoughts and my heart knows truth.

Because of the danger and vulnerability of living on ice, most penguins will not sleep on land. They choose to take short naps instead. When we feel stressed out and vulnerable, the human body often responds with fatigue and the desire to sleep more. Penguin warns us that this may not always be the best medicine for us. There are times we may need to rest for shorter durations, more frequently, rather than allowing our bodies to become slow and lethargic from too much sleep and inactivity.

I love watching penguins interact with one another. They communicate with each other by calling, wing waving, bowing and head nodding. Their behavior reminds me how  important respect and good communication is. Because the colonies of penguins are so large, they have the unique ability of song. Each has its own song which helps the others identify it. Penguins teach the social grace of politely acknowledging and esteeming others. They are often seen huddling together for warmth, moving around in such a way that every penguin has the chance to enter the center of the huddle to get warmer, displaying an honor for one another's needs.

Penguins are masters of playfulness and teach us not to take ourselves too seriously when we slip and slide through life at times. They teach us the joy of play and the benefits of learning to lighten up and laugh at ourselves.

So many wonderful things can be learned from these beautiful birds ...

all good ...

all positively penguin!