Inspired by Penguins. (August 1, 2005)
Just when I thought I was ready to take a break from pondering the possibilities involving two people that the universe seems to have a purpose in bringing together, along comes a penguin... actually a few hundred of them. Aside from being amazed with the timing in which I watched March of the Penguins at the Enzian, I was completely taken by this film. Yes, it's a documentary about the penguins at the south pole and the perils they face attempting to bring new life into the cold world, which doesn't seem all that life altering. Had I not watched it, I'd think the same. I'm not much of a bird person... I once held the notion that they were stupid pets that you couldn't cuddle or love for fear of getting a fingertip bitten off. I'm not saying I want a pet penguin now, but I am saying that I've met people who do love birds, and I can respect that. I still wouldn't say that my favorite animal has feathers instead of fur. However, these creatures were more endearing than I can put into words. Not only that, but their actions mirrored that of humans... they were just much more efficient at it... and it made me sad for us.The penguins waddled over seventy miles of freezing ice to find a mate... and when each one did, they bonded, they "kissed"... and most importantly, they remained loyal to each other as they struggled to give life to their little chicks. Just watching the way some were drawn to each other like magnets... how they each knew how to find what they were looking for... I'm still amazed. They didn't hook up with one penguin because they had nice flippers, decide they really didn't have much to talk about, leave them behind and then look for one with even better flippers. They found another bird that they liked and then they stuck together, worked together and sacrificed together... and don't even get me started on how they reacted to failure. My eyes teared up a few times during the show. In addition to the ease in which they chose their mate, they also knew exactly how to get to their destination despite geographical changes. They were determined to reach their goal regardless of what nature threw at them and risked death to make the journey.
If only we had internal compasses like the penguins. If only we were born knowing our purpose in life and genetically equipped with the knowledge of how to fulfill our destiny. How did people become so lost, confused and unsatisfied? It is my opinion that having intellect is both a blessing and a curse. According to my grandmother, "back in her day" people were just like the penguins. They picked their mate while they were young and stuck with them until they got old. No questions, no changing your mind and getting divorced. You just grew together and raised a family whether you liked it or not. What she didn't take into account was the fact that each winter the penguins get to choose a new mate. Apparently a penguin's love is seasonal. Perhaps they are a lot like us after all...
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