A couple of weeks ago a friend mailed me a late Christmas present, generous portions of chocolate, and a couple penguins: a stack-the-penguins game and a penguin wall calendar. A wonderful combination, in my opinion.
"Why penguins" you ask? Well, it's become a bit of a tradition between my friend and me. I'm not sure how or when it started. It may have started when I began using the expression, "colder than penguin snot" to describe some of the brumal winter walks I endure. Or it may have started when I read Daniel Amen's "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life", a wonderful book on brain health. It explains in great detail, but not difficult to understand language, how the brain works when it is healthy, and when it is not, whether due to injury, illness or addiction.
In one chapter he tells of the day he and his son watched a penguin performing stunts at an amusement park. Dr. Amen, frustrated with his son's behavior, asked the trainer how she got the penguins to follow all her directions. The trainer replied that unlike people, she noticed and rewarded positive rather than negative behavior. Shortly thereafter Dr. Amen started collecting penguins as a reminder to himself to notice good things about people.
Now, I'd not intended to start collecting penguins. For years I had already been collected frogs, turtles and Snoopys. But whatever the impetus, my friend sent me some penguins. I retaliated in kind. And every birthday and Christmas since then has included a penguin or two.
As for the chocolate... well, you don't need a brain book to be reminded how good the person who gave you chocolate is.
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