2 March 2008

The FLAMINGO Story


An ecologist studying flamingos on Kenya ’s Lake Nakuru has noticed an interesting phenomenon. Every year, when the time comes for migration, a few flamingos start the process by taking off from the lake. Since none of the others take any notice, they soon turn round and come back.

The next day they try again. This time a few others straggle along with them but, again, the vast majority just carry on with business as usual, so the pioneers return to the lake. This trend continues for a few days. Each time a few more birds join in but, since the thousands of others still take no notice, the migration plan is aborted.

Finally, one day, the same few birds take off again. This time however, the tiny increment to their number - maybe just one extra flamingo - is enough to tip the balance. The whole flock takes flight. The migration begins.

If we apply this concept to our current predicament, it gives rise to an immediate sense of empowerment. Rather than dismissing a small action - ‘what difference will it make?’ - or the role of the individual - ‘what can I do about it?’ - we see that change is actually always propelled by the individual, or that a small action can be an instrumental part of the significant changes that arise through complex processes.

Seen from that perspective, we are the ones with the power - the power to cast ripples into the pond and become active nodes within a global network; the power to make positive change into a contagious impulse; the power to help build the sort of world we want for our children.

1 comment:

Ingrid Pullen said...

i love this story!!

thank you for breathing in... for breathing out... and day after day spreading your wise wings and teaching/guiding through action.

bless your vision for all

bless your speech for all

bless your action for all

and bless your very being ~ you truly are one of the brightest beings making beautiful change on this gorgeous planet!!

from mother nature and simply from me, with love and gratitude i smile into the wind, and thank you from my heart....

wow.... so so proud of you!!

balance

love~ing