There is a myth that, when he finds the love of his life, a penguin will search for the perfect pebble to present to her in hopes of winning her love. It is a myth based on the actual fact that the Adelie penguin will use pebbles to build a nest while they are courting. They search the beach for the perfect pebbles to provide a strong and safe environment for their young. I have read that, from time to time, the penguins will steal each others pebbles and I suppose that, even more often, pebbles will break loose and fall. Each of these weakening moments will obviously have an impact on, not just one, but every being relying on the strength of that nest to provide safety for them and for their future.
Pebbles come in all shapes and sizes. Some are small enough and, while exasperating at times, can be easily lifted and put back into place. Others weigh heavier, requiring patience, determination, and effort far beyond what was ever imagined. The way I see it, if a penguin, full of love and the desire to keep its family safe, and using only its beak, can take even the most troublesome of pebbles and put it back where the nest has started to fall, it shouldn't be so hard for the rest of us to do, too.
