CHICKENS AND DUCKS…

Did you ever read Animal Farm by George Orwell? Yeah I know it’s an allegorical novella that reflects events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917, and then on into the Stalin era in the Soviet Union. I know all about that but “Animal Farm” is what comes to my mind whenever I think of my childhood. Calm down o before you start thinking that I was abused as a child. Lol… You see we had many animals (we still do anyway) when I was growing up. Chickens, dogs, ducks, goats, turkeys… we even had a tortoise one time 🙂

I was the “shepherdess” in my family, the one that was most attached to the animals. OK that’s not quite correct… my mom was the main shepherdess and I was the deputy shepherdess… hehehe.  I helped her a lot with the animals; feeding the chickens, bathing the dogs, administering drugs to the sick animals… that sorta thing and I loved it! 😀

As a child, the chickens used to fascinate me especially when it was time for them to lay eggs. I noticed that after laying, the hen would run around the yard clucking like mad. At first I didn’t understand what that meant but later on I got to know it was announcing to all who cared to listen (as if you could help it) that it had accomplished a feat. It had laid an egg! The duck on the other hand was a different ball game. In fact my mom and I named our duck Lady D  :). She had this dignified air and waddle about her. Whenever it was time for her to lay her eggs, she would just jejely enter her coop, do her business and calmly waddle out afterwards. So I had a bit of trouble keeping up with her “achievements” because I had to deliberately go to her coop to see if she had laid any eggs.

Now tell me, who eats duck eggs?

Why am I saying all this? OK allow me to clarify what I’m driving at. There’s this quote that says: “If a man can write a better book, preach a better sermon, or make a better mousetrap, than his neighbor, though he build his house in the woods, the world will make a beaten path to his door”- Emerson, Ralph Waldo. The first time I heard this quote, I thought it was spot on but I have reservations about it now because it doesn’t quite encapsulate all that is required for the world to make a beaten path to my door, especially in this day and age. I agree that having great talent and skills is very crucial but I don’t think it’s enough to build an excellent mousetrap and just fold your arms and wait for folks to make a beaten part to your door. If you don’t get off your butt and tell people about the wonders of this mousetrap of yours, you go jones o!

The world is a global village. It’s true. There is no monopoly of skills and knowledge. The fact is there are competitors doing what you do. Sometimes they may even be doing exactly what you do. The question now is: How do you stand apart from your competitors?  Well, after creating that wonderful product, my advice to you is this: CLUCK VERY LOUDLY!

That’s right! Make some noise!

Some people may perceive “noise makers” as being proud and well…annoying… What I believe is that there is a thin line between pride and self awareness. Yes, a thin line; but a line nonetheless. Then again, the noise has to be the right kind of noise otherwise it would be pride. Hmmm let me explain what I mean. When I got the idea for this post, I asked my husband this question: “What is the right kind of noise?” He replied: “… I feel it’s up to the “noise maker” to know why the noise is being made.” When he said this, I had an “aha! moment”… Whatever you are making noise about must first and foremost be beneficial to the recipient of the noise. Once selfish interest is out of the way, then it’s not pride.

Noise making does not necessarily mean shouting. Don’t take it as literally as the chicken clucking. Noise making implies being visible, showing people what you can do and making people notice the things you do that can add value to their lives. I’d like to even think of noise making as being a blessing to the world through the contributions of your skills, talents and gifts. Yup!

So my dear friend,  if you sing, bake cakes, write articles, dance, plan and organize events, sew dresses, sell flowers, design graphics, cut hair, whatever you do that is value-adding and beneficial, GO AHEAD AND CLUCK! 😀

I’d sure love to hear from you. Are you a chicken or a duck?