The Wise old Owl

Spark Version - https://spark.adobe.com/page/pxIO84CgcuQuH/

“The wise old owl Sat on an oak branch and the more he saw the less he spoke, the less he spoke the more he heard.” Wise words we all need to heed and practise more often. Why do we refer to owls as wise, are they, or have we just accepted that they are from generations of parents and grandparents telling us they are? I looked it up and the consensus of opinion seemed to be quite fluffy, more on the lines of folk stories than fact. This is what I found which might have some merit.

When we look at owls, they look old and wise, so that's how we think of them. The fact is that owls are adapted to have acute hearing and extremely good night vision. In ancient Greece, the Owl was often associated with the goddess Athena who became associated with arts and wisdom, so owls also became associated with wisdom.

We have to remember those Ancient Greek gods could fly, so I do take this explanation with some reservations.

Talking of parents, a mother was asked by her daughter if she loved her and her reply was;  “No one else will ever know the strength of my love for you, after all, you're the only one who knows the sound of my heart from the inside". Perfect answer, I thought.

Robert is reading a very interesting book as part of his studies in Behavioural Economics called How to Change by Katy Milkman. Now I know that does not seem a little strange but the subtitle describes the book better. The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. Now I do understand that academics need to research and analysis the simplest things. Robert has kindly offered to summarise some aspects of this book. I will bring you one each week for the following 3 weeks.

Getting started – planning your advance into battle - Robert Smith

When planning any change, from exercising more to quitting smoking, it’s essential to decide when to start. Naturally, the rational argument is to start as soon as possible! Maximise the amount of available time you have doing your newfound positive habit, but is this really the best idea? Well, in short, No. 

For the average person the majority of fresh initiatives end in failure, with recent statistics showing only 5% of all health-related diets actually last into the long term. So if not now then when? Well, it’s helpful to set a landmark date, a fresh start point. Research has found you can capture a great deal of long last change when beginning your new habits in moments of change. Notable environmental economists at Bath have found that when getting people to be better at recycling, it's most effective to pitch recycling interventions at them after they move house, the disruption of their old routines allows for a better routine to be built in place. 

As parents will know, having a child can turn your life on its head, but this is also a fantastic time to build new enduring habits (both positive and negative). Researchers have found that utilising the ‘fresh start effect’ can help individuals reach goals they had previously found unattainable. A study of college students found that when exercise and study goals were pitched in relation to coming back after Christmas break or the start of the year, they had remarkable success, equally though, when students went away again these habits fell away with equal intensity. 

The fresh start effect is a powerful one and is part of the reason for New Year's resolutions to far more likely to succeed than at any other time of year. Practically speaking we cant all wait for New Year’s or a child or house move, but even the start of the working week, a new month, a birthday, all signal a chance for a clean slate, and if you capitalise on this fresh start opportunity, you will set yourself up for success! (Robert Smith)

  

Do not get me wrong, I think ‘The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be’ is all very educational but I thought Google Maps had this all figured out quite a while ago. Getting from where you are is normally quite easy in Google maps, enter your address, enter where you want to be and then click directions and you will have the shortest route, all mapped out. Quite a lightbulb moment I must admit even if I have switched it on.

Susan and Alex are visiting Lady Vivienne and I am about to take the hound for a stroll. Talking of LV, my pair of blue tits are back and loving the garden and the peanut feeder. LV and Harper are thinking of buying a house together and one must speculate as to whether there will be the pitter-patter of little Horwood/Harper feet soon. Neither are getting any younger so I would advise them to get on with it soon if that is what they want.

On a finer point, where have all the robins gone? England is known for the red robin but this year they are quite scarce around Canford Heath. I suggest we start a crowdfunding page and use the money to re-introduce the robin to our fair island. Come to think of it, I will drop a line to Greenpeace, they have contacts and if needs must, can go in clandestine like and borrow some from where they are now. Anyway, will pursue this further and keep you updated.