The Heron and The Bull

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In this issue: Lessons from a Greek Tale sprung to life

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Let’s Get the Formalities Out of the Way…

Why you’re getting this: I'm Yuri Kruman and this is my “Commander-In-Chief” Newsletter, based on my book, “Be Your Own Commander-in-Chief.” I send this to people in my LinkedIN and FB networks, people I’ve met recently, and friends I want to keep in touch with. You can unsubscribe (SEE THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE EMAIL) and I won’t be offended.

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The Heron and The Bull

I don’t always go hiking, but when I do, it often turns into a folk tale.

Not because I go looking for it, per se.

G-d just has a sense of humor and a lesson plan for me, I guess.

My usual drive outside Haifa somewhere to the Galilee took me to an especially beautiful and interesting place today.

There’s a place I found on the map called Ein Hashofet Forest.

It can be taken to mean, alternatively, “brook of the Judge” or “eye of the judge,” with the former being more logical.

Truth is, as much as I like to go to new places, I’d already been to this one.

Well, sort of. Last time I went, it was with my wife and daughters. We walked up the mountain, around and back down the other side.

This time, I parked in the same place, but went across the fields in the opposite direction.

The day was absolute perfection. 18C (64 F) outside, warm sun, fresh, fragrant air, the fields and forest floor green beyond belief after the recent heavy rains. Most places are not muddy, but when needed, you have to get around the large puddles.

Flowers are starting to bloom, mostly white, pink and purple cyclamens and rich red anemones, the first of the year.

As is the case in many Galilee forests, there are cows roaming around, leaving lots and lots of signs everywhere.

Interestingly, the cows are eating olive tree leaves and a lot of underbrush, not the usual, expected, grass.

After roaming down through a forest patch down to another path, I made it down to a small meadow lined with lots of white limestone.

Turning inside, I saw an unusual (to me, at least) image…

A bull, laying down, staring at me. A cow, also eyeing me, laying down at the bull’s side.

And a medium-sized white bird hopping around them.

Suddenly, the bird jumps onto the bull. He doesn’t bat an eye lid!

The bird goes to town, seemingly pecking the bull once, twice, three times.

What the hell is going on here?

Is this one of those unusual situations of seemingly antagonistic animals getting along?

Dog and cat, best friends. Parrot and elephant buddies in the circus.

Really, just bizarre.

I inch closer very slowly. And a bit more.

Soon enough, I’m not more than 5 meters away from them.

They are both staring, ready to react.

Sure enough, it looks like a small heron.

So we’ve got this bull, one of its horns broken in battle, and the heron feeding off the bull.

My mind goes right to Greek mythology.

Bulls are usually vanguards of fertility and strength.

Herons are, according to Greeks, messengers of Athena, goddess of wisdom, and according to others, incarnations of young men out to save the world.

For Native Americans, they represent wisdom and patience.

In China and Japan, they represent good luck, apparently. They are also considered, uniquely, masters of three elements - air, land and sea.

The further I dig on Google, the stranger it gets.

In Judaism, I already know it’s considered one of the “unclean” birds (and thus not kosher) according to its diet, but apparently, it goes deeper.

Such a lovely bird, on the surface. Apparently, a cruel and irascible one, in practice, in contrast to the “pious” stork.

I research the actual bird.

It’s actually a cattle egret, part of the heron family. They follow cows, because they kic up all sorts of insects, and pick insects off of cows.

Who’d a thunk?!

I’m also skeptical about that bull.

I google where only bulls have horns or cows, also.

Didn’t know it, but dairy cows also have horns and never shed them, like those famous Texas Longhorns.

Oops, I guess horns aren’t always scary or dispositive.

Why am I telling you all this?

Who the hell cares about some cows and birds in a meadow in the Galilee?

Look, symbols matter. A LOT.

The trouble with mythology is that it’s… well, made up.

BUT, it’s also massively influential.

Greek and other mythologies form a central and foundational layer in our minds, based on our Western education, with its Greek myths and Hans Christian Andersen and Grimm Brothers fairy tales.

Like it or not, these things seep very deeply into our minds, affecting not just how we see animals, but also how we anthropomorphize animals and “animalize” people (he’s such a lion! The Wolf will fix it! A sheep to the slaughter… don’t have a cow! and so on).

Mysticism has very different connotations in animist and other pagan religions, as compared to Judaism, for example. And as such, not easily comparable, if we’re intellectually exacting.

What do we have to learn from a bull (or cow) in a meadow with a parasitic (if majestic) bird?

First, symbiosis is a regular feature between the seemingly strong and the seemingly weak. Absence of the “weaker one” can spell doom for the strong one (when insects burrow below the top layer of cowskin, for example).

Second, the strong one is often actually quite susceptible to… either being milked or slaughtered, or one then the other.

Third, something that seems majestic in one culture or religion is contemptible in another. Certain personality and leadership types don’t translate well at all when switching contexts. Beware and be prepared.

Fourth, the leader’s shit often smells worse than everyone else’s, not just bad, in general. Self-awareness is key to good leadership.

Fifth, it’s the leader’s job to chew the cud and process it seven times before regurgitating… if it’s a bull or cow, that is. Humans aren’t cattle. Treat everyone like adults and share all relevant info. Other humans can digest and decide for themselves, thanks.

Sixth, leaders also run in herds. Among leaders, there are also followers. Leaders are also weak in many regards. Don’t fool yourself that they’re in a class by themselves (hint: they’re not).

Seventh, it’s not always clear if the horns belong to a cow or a bull. Be careful not to under-estimate or over-estimate, either way.

Eighth, even a meadow landscape with animals can teach you a hell of a lot about yourself and humans. Don’t just smell the flowers, avoid the shit as you walk!

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• Yuri Kruman - +1-347-415-0265 (WhatsApp) - message me, let's talk.

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