The birds are penguins. Penguins are supposed to swim. In fact, 46 penguins at San Francisco zoo have been taking regular dips in pool to cool off and keep their feathers sleek. Ah, ain't life grand. Lie around, eat, swim, rest, eat, swim, relax, eat, swim.

Until six "bodybuilder" penguins moved in from Ohio. The newcomers jumped into pool and swam. And swam. And swam. In fact, those six penguins kept swimming laps all day long. Day after day. They must have been using a very effective antiperspirant.

The newcomers would start early in morning and keep swimming in circles until they would "stagger" out of pool at dusk. What is most amazing, though, is that six penguins have convinced other 46 to join them. Hitherto "society" penguins are now swimming whole day through like commoners.

I don't speak "penguin" very well, but I think I overheard following conversation:

"C'mon, what are you, a penguin or a rock?"

"Why, I'm a penguin, of course."

"You don't look like a penguin. All you do is sit around like a rock."

"That's not true. I swim ... sometimes."

"Ha! A true penguin swims all day long. Pepperoni!" SPLASH!!

"Hey. I'm a real penguin, too."

"Who you shouting at, Percy?"

"That swimmer with too much adrenaline in his feathers. He says I'm not a real penguin because I don't eggplant enough."

"Oh, yeah? We'll show him, won't we, Percy?"

"You bet! Uh, how?"

"By out-swimming showoff penguins." SPLASH!!"

Ali Baba and his Den of Thieves could never have plundered as much wealth, peace of mind, love and joy as one mind paralyzed with fear could take. One of things, that I found, that often prevent us from putting on our best dog and pony show is timidity. And, to add insult to injury timidity rears its ugly head right at moment of our strongest inspiration.

Yea, And Then As Luck Would Have It.

And then all boldness we could possibly muster just melts like a snow ball on a hot July day. Whether we admit it or not, we are just a little bit afraid of those ideas when they first occur to us and, also for awhile after we have thought about them.

Now this may seem a little over rated and silly, but, there is no doubt about it. It takes a certain amount of boldness to step out and place ourselves between devil and deep blue sea. Yet, it is exactly this kind of boldness that often creates our place in sun.

When an idea is untested, we have no past history to base our confidence on. So, this creates a little fear and starts that little voice inside our head talking to us. And, it says things like; what if you're wrong? What will you do then? What will you tell your family? Why don't you just forget this cock and bull idea? You know how gullible you are.

Maybe I Better Cover My Backside!

And then we answer that little Ali-Baba voice and say to ourselves, "yes, maybe I better think this through a little more". All you've done, at that point, is began a wrestling match with your own head. At this point, you have obviously done a significant amount of preparation and planning. And, NOW, at moment of truth, you get as nervous as a pregnant possum.

Have you ever noticed that it's at moment of decision when fear arises? Have you ever noticed that you're as bold as a Lion up until moment when it's time to step out of boat and walk on water? And, at that moment, you start clucking like a chicken. Why didn't you cluck when you first got idea?

Well, That's A Fine Kettle Of Fish!

Well, there was no need to then. It was only a figment in your imagination; something that deserved no attention, at that moment, and certainly not deserving of any emotional energy. So, we continue planning and making preparations until that idea is ready for baptism of fire, and, then we start acting like we got foot-in-mouth disease.

Well, Sometimes decision to step out of boat can make your greatest dreams come true. On other side, if you don't step out of boat, you'll never know. I can hear somebody saying now, "Well, you just don't know my situation". Listen, life never leaves us with no way to achieve our dreams no matter how big they are.

Time To Let Loose The Dogs Of War!