Observations

Humans and animals. There are many differences between humans and animals. At least, we like to believe there are.

After all, we create great monuments, paintings, buildings reflecting marvelous ingenuity, and exquisite music. Above all, we have creativity, the capability of conceiving and making new things. And if this is not enough, my friends tell me that what makes us really different is that we have a soul. Of course, no one has ever seen my soul, but they tell me I have one, and I have to believe them. My uncle once told me the soul is a poetic invention needed to convince us we are different.

Every time I look at an animal, I never fail to be amazed how much they look like us. They have two eyes, two ears, a digestive system (input, output, and everything in between), a reproductive system, limbs for locomotion, and above all, a brain. Who knows, they may even believe they have a soul that makes them different from us.

But there is more. I was fortunate to have a tall pine tree in front of the bedroom. In two out of three years a couple of blue jays decided that a branch of this pine was just fine to build their nest. And so they did after careful inspection of the surroundings and making sure the spot was protected from intruders.

Every morning, as I changed to go to work, I looked at their activities. First, they built the nest. It was amazing how carefully they chose the material. Strong on the outside of the nest, softer as they moved toward the inside. Eventually the nest had to be approved by the female (does it ring a bell?). So, she went and pressed with her feet and body against the walls of the nest to make it fit her size. It took quite a long time.

One day the female laid the eggs and for a few weeks the male was circling around the nest, very carefully, trying not to be followed. He brought the food to his companion. I was ready to go to work to do exactly the same thing. Eventually the young blue jays were born. The mother was absolutely obsessed with keeping them warm, constantly moving to achieve this purpose. In the meantime the male was going around getting food for the growing family.

One day, the nest became too small for the mother and the two blue jays. It was time to move on. The mother, using her beak, pushed the two young blue jays out of the nest. They had to learn how to survive. Does it sound familiar?

They screamed as they fell from branch to branch. Eventually they hit the ground. The risks were high. A cat could come along. Welcome to the jungle. But eventually they made it. One day I saw four blue jays fly away.

They did in just a few weeks what humans achieve with their families in several years. The blue jays did it at a much faster pace, with less fanfare.

I am amazed how the concepts of life, family, managing its growth, survival, role of male and female, mother and father, are exactly the same—in humans and animals. There are a few nuances, of course, but we like to believe they are important because they make us feel different from “animals”. Really?

(This Observations appeared in the 2/19/2001 issue of The Peter Dag Portfolio)

George Dagnino, PhD
Editor, The Peter Dag Portfolio. Since 1977
Ranked second best gold timer by Timer Digest

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