How Nature Makes You a Better Writer

Go outside or gaze out that window.

A mockingbird staged a David and Goliath battle in my back yard recently, chasing and dive-bombing a much-larger crow. Eventually, the crow flew off with unhurried flaps, as if unfazed.

This chasing, harassing behavior is called mobbing, even when there’s only one bird doing it. This mockingbird was diligently protecting its nest in the neighbor’s yard.

Later that morning, I spotted a crow mobbing a turkey vulture-a bird that shouldn’t be a threat to the nest, as it only forages on carcasses. That crow was taking no chances and attacked with vigor until the vulture abandoned the area.

The crow spent a lot of energy for little obvious benefit.

This got me thinking about human behavior. How much time do we spend chasing the birds larger than us? When does the chase make sense, and when are we wasting everyone’s effort?

Although the meditation may not lead to anything profound, nature provided creative fodder.

If in doubt, go outside

The natural world is rich with metaphors and wisdom.

While the obvious analogies (sly as a fox) may be commonplace, we find a fresh or intriguing patterns if we zoom in or get…