Have you seen that story about the Humboldt penguin who lived in the Tokyo Aquarium? He’s known only as Number 337. He lived his entire life with his penguin friends. He was fed everything he needed daily. He had clean water to swim and play in. He didn’t have to work hard for anything. And yet…
Even though penguins aren’t know for their daring sense of adventure, he somehow managed to scale a 13 foot manmade rock wall and squeeze through a fence to his freedom. He climbed that wall even though he couldn’t fly.
He didn’t know what waited for him on the other side of the fence. Everyone was worried that he wouldn’t know how to fish or take care of himself without the aquarium staff. The keeper said it probably took him a lot of effort to get out, but he did.
I used to be that penguin except I didn’t realize it. Before beginning my quest, I had everything I needed. I could have continued on that way thinking I was fine, and I was fine. But then fine, wasn’t enough anymore. I climbed, I crawled, and I drug myself over a huge wall not knowing what was on the other side.
What I found was excitement, adventure and things I never even dreamed of. I find myself smiling now for no reason. I look for things to do instead of sitting on the sofa waiting for things to come to me. I take fun classes any chance I get. Crossfit, cooking, painting, knitting, personal training, and so much more. I’m living the life now that I should have been living for the first four decades of it.
Finally I’m not just a number and it’s great. Number 337 was spotted this past week swimming near Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge. They said he was doing just fine and wasn’t wasting away. He’d figured out how to fish and take care of himself. I love that he was swimming near a place called Rainbow Bridge.
This penguin might not fly but he can definitely soar. Are you a penguin?
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