Recently, I received an email with
pictures of Hornero birds building their mud nests, complete with a windbreak
to protect their eggs and young offspring. The amount of time and work involved
in making these perfect little homes boggles my mind. But even beyond that, I
am amazed at how the birds know just what to do. Clearly, there is silent and
powerful knowledge passed down from one generation to the next, and it plays a
substantial role in allowing the species to survive and to thrive.
We humans also pass on our
accumulated knowledge to our young. Many times, we use words. But, much more
often, we teach through our actions. When I was a child, I heard adults say,
“Do as I say, not as I do.” And I thought it was the silliest thing I’d ever
heard. If what they were telling me to do was so great, how come they weren’t
doing it, too?
