I would like to recommend a movie I saw recently called,
March of the Penguins, produced by Warner Independent
Pictures and National Geographic Feature Films.
This movie was a surprise to me, not at all what I was
expecting. I was hoping it would be more like Polar Express
and I would leave the theatre feeling uplifted, and that
feeling would stay with me for days. This was a different
kind of film. It was beautiful and stunning, and I was
deeply touched, but I couldn't help but feel the anguish
and pain, that these grace filled beings suffer every year,
when they endure the 70 mile - 20 day march to their
breeding grounds, and the experiences that follow, to give
life to the enchanting baby penguins. There were scenes in
this film that are burned in my memory forever.
I saw this movie with a friend who was feeling a little
down and thinking his life was difficult. After watching
this documentary, both of our lives seemed like a piece of
cake. I highly recommend this movie. It will make you
laugh, and it will make you cry. I have been haunted by it
ever since. This amazing story has caused me to think
deeply about so many things. It has uncovered places deep
inside me that cry out for healing, and it has reminded me
of what is really important in life.
The story, beautifully narrated by Morgan Freeman, opens
with the words... "In the harshest place on earth, LOVE
finds a way. This is the incredible true story of a
family's journey to bring life into the world."
And incredible, is an understatement. As I watched these
tuxedo clad beings leap out of their ocean home to begin
their journey, walking upright in single file, I understood
the power of clear focus, keeping your mind on the goal,
and moving forward with fierce determination, in a way I
had not comprehended it before. I understood too, about
never giving up. And as they progressed along their
perilous journey, in the dark and cold, and the scenery
changed from previous years, and they needed to find their
way, I knew the importance of following my own instincts
and connecting to my own inner guidance. I appreciated how
important it is sometimes to just keep going, even if it
means you may have to crawl on your belly for awhile.
After the long, cold and arduous trek to their mating
ground, I sat raptured, as each penguin attempted to choose
a partner, someone especially for them, from a sea of what
only appeared to be identical partners, wondering just how
and why they made their choice. And then, I witnessed what
had to be the most tender, delicate, intricate, courtship
dance on the planet - intimate, affectionate and stunningly
beautiful. Totally enthralled with this ritual, there were
moments when I didn't know where these beautiful beings
ended and I began.
Each female, lucky enough to have found a mate, laid a
single egg, and that egg was very carefully transferred to
her male partner, to guard and hatch, while the now very
weak female begins her journey back the same 70 miles, to
obtain nourishment again on the ocean floor.
As I later viewed the fathers gently hovering over their
new born offspring, the baby chick cradled on top of their
feet, I felt their deep love and parental bonding, and I
experienced the sacredness and importance of sustaining
life at all costs. And as I witnessed thousands of penguins
huddled together, braced against the elements, I realized
the importance of sticking together for a common goal, and
the comfort that a sense of community can bring. Each one
took turns on the outside and inside of the circle, in
order to share the warmer and cooler spots, and I saw first
hand what integrity and a sense of fair play can mean to
the interconnectedness of all living things.
Now, desperately needing nourishment of their own, and
elated at the safe return of the females, I witnessed each
father, with great sadness, getting ready to leave his baby
chick and listening for the chick's song, so that he would
recognize him or her, upon his return, and I remembered
that we are all born with our own unique song in our heart,
and when we sing that song with love, our true nature is
instantly recognizable, and our extraordinary life purpose
fulfilled.
And later, when I listened to one mother penguin cry out in
pain, over the loss of her chick to the bitter cold, I
ached too for my own lost family and understood her grief.
As the weather warmed, and I saw another mother push her
little one out to mix and mingle with the other young
penguins, I was transported back to my first day at school,
when my own mother, did the exact same thing to me.
Near the end of the movie, I watched in shock, as the
parents finally walked away and left their young ones
behind. In that moment, I felt a strong sense of betrayal,
abandonment and fear, as my own need to cling to things
long after they are over, surfaced once again. I was
reminded of the importance of letting go and moving on,
taking that next step or leap of faith into a brave new
world, as these little ones eventually did, with their
first courageous leap into the sea, their new home for the
next four years, until they too would make this remarkable
journey.
Until this film, I was not aware of what is involved in the
life of an Emperor Penguin, as I am unaware of so many
other amazing things that happen on our planet. What if, in
the media, instead of focusing on the comings and goings of
Hollywood's hottest celebrities, we strive to learn more
about the nature of the universe and the wonders of our
planet instead. How our lives would be so changed for the
better I suspect, if we each did that. I applaud everyone
who was involved in bringing this beautiful story to life,
and I thank you for a job well done.
----------------------------------------------------
Veronica is the author of In a Dream, You Can Do Anything,
A Collection of Words, An Extraordinary Collection Of
Writings That Will Uplift You, Motivate You, Inspire You,
And Gently Guide You Along The Inner Path Of Your Life.
Click here to learn more and listen to sample inspirational
audios: http://www.insightsandinspirations.com
veronicahay@telus.net
