“Hope is the
thing with feathers
That perches
in the soul,
And sings
the tune without the words,
And never
stops at all.”
Emily
Dickinson
If you hear
a person using the word “parrot” in a negative way, be prepared to share the
story of Willie, the parrot who helped save a toddler’s life. Meagan, her babysitter, had been in the bathroom for only thirty seconds when she heard Willie’s
frantic calls:
“Mama!
Baby!”
He kept repeating the same words. Meagan dashed out of the bathroom immediately and found Hannah choking on her favorite treat. Her face and lips were blue. Meagan performed the Heimlich maneuver on Hannah and saved her life.
Willie had never
used those two words together, but in this specific situation he did and made
an unforgettable difference in many peoples’ lives.
Unlikely Heroes by Jennifer Holland shares true
stories of animals who saved both human and non-human lives with no expectation
of rewards. They just do it because saving somebody’s life feels right, and in
doing so, they demonstrate that being kind and caring has nothing to do with
wearing any sort of badge.
There are also cases of animals able to sense
a cancer diagnosis or some other ominous medical condition that had been overlooked.
There are animals rescuing other animals. For example, an elk saved a marmot
from drowning; a seal did the same for a dog drowning in a river. No rewards
were given for those deeds.
These true stories flooded me with smiles and
tears. It is the kind of book I love to read before going to bed at night
because it brightens my mood and paves the way to a wonderful night sleep.
The heroes and heroines are various animals, including several dogs, cats, rats, horses, cows, dolphins, goats, a hippo, gorillas, a camel, a llama and many others. Dive into this wonderful read and surprise yourself.
Another positive aspect of Unlikely Heroes is that I learned a lot. With every anecdote Jennifer Holland adds curious facts about
the animals involved. It awakens our interest in the natural world and has the
potential to inspire us to become more mindful of our actions and the impact
they have.
There is a chapter about cranes. Did you know
that cranes enjoy dancing? It is true that dancing plays a role in mating, but
they also dance for fun. Dancing has several benefits; it relieves stress and supports communication and cognition, to mention just a few.
The Whooping Crane is the tallest North American bird. It is an endangered keystone species due to habitat loss and hunting.
Some states in the United
States of America still allow the hunting of cranes. If you don’t know
the meaning of “keystone” species I invite you to look it up, and hopefully,
you will be encouraged to spread the word on the need to protect them.
The International Crane Foundation is doing an
incredible job of protecting and supporting the survival of Whooping Cranes
with the help of the Sandhill Cranes. If you visit Wisconsin, don’t miss the
chance to visit their site. It teems with prairies and wildflowers, and there are
glorious trails to soothe your mind and recharge your spirit.
This delightful place is ideal to spend time with family and friends.
The educational material is engaging and
fascinating, and you will create special memories that will last a lifetime.
Artworks at this exhibition will uplift you and boost your zest for life. This painting is by Melanie Hava, an Australian Aboriginal artist.
Hunters in Wisconsin are not allowed to kill Whooping Cranes, but they sometimes slaughter them by accident. The fact is that
hunting causes stress and suffering in all the animals of a community.
If somebody started shooting your neighborhood,
you would be terrified. The same happens to animals when hunters attack. Hunting causes stress and suffering in ALL the animals, not just the ones that are targeted.
It
takes empathy to understand it, and empathy is a kind of intelligence.
It is strange to me that so much is spent on seeking life in other planets, when we cannot come together to understand, respect and protect life in our own planet.
The only
thing I do not like about Unlikely Heroes
is the title.
Who are we to determine who is an “unlikely” hero?
As you know,
words play a role in perpetuating biases, misconceptions and prejudices.
I think the
book should have a fair honest title instead:
“Heroes
and Heroines”
We can do better.
