A wolf stands over a frozen bird and begins eating it while his littler mate watches hungrily. Then, when he has eaten more than half the bird, he rises, carries the carcass and lays it a foot from his sister's nose. He then waits beside it as she delicately takes it. Later in the week, the same wolf carries a fresh-killed hare in his mouth for more than two miles to feed his sick brother.
Care-giving comes in many forms, like the preceding illustrations of bonds of allegiance. It includes nurturing, providing safety and security, and being responsive to the needs of others, especially the young. It's evolutionary function is that providing care to others, especially the young, boosts the odds that the organizational unit will continue to flourish.
Care giving, then is nature's inherent tool for developing others, or more broadly, for advancing the future. For this reason, Mother Nature has made sure, regardless of sex, that we are all hardwired with the instinctual tool, care giving.
We all know the value of care giving and the joy it creates, in ourselves and in others so we should all thank Mother Nature for instilling in us this instinctual tool that enhances life. How can we thank her?
I think Mother Nature would feel honored if we became a more nurturing and caring society. Benefits are obvious. However, talk is cheap, so Mother Nature would consider only actions honorable. Here are some.
First, we need more awareness and acknowledgment of acts of care giving in our society. Right now, too many people, especially in the working world, perceive the world as a hostile place and that human nature is selfish and aggressive.
We are suspicious of good behavior and think it is motivated by self-aggrandizing intentions. Somebody makes a donation, and we immediately think they did it for the tax break or the patron's plaque on the wall.
We need to change this perception by getting the message out that we are hardwired to make positive gestures to others, to nurture others. Promoting the perception that people and societies are inherently care-giving will have profound life enhancing effects for everyone.
Since care giving starts with the mother-infant relationship, it would honor Mother Nature if ll mothers had equal access to good health care. Ensuring a healthy pregnancy helps not only the mother and her child, but our society as a whole.
Yet, as we all know, the United States is one of the few nations in the developed world that lacks a national health program. Pregnant women are left to arrange their own prenatal care. Those with insurance get it, and those without insurance make do with whatever clinic services re available. This is more than a slap in the face to Mother Nature, it is a national disgrace.
One redemption would occur if we made sure that regardless of income, all expectant mothers have equal access to the resources that will enhance their pregnancy. For example, some communities offer mother mentors to "at-risk" young women from low economic and social classes. These programs are found to reduce the stress of the expectant mother by providing support and education that helps be a better caregiver to her newborn.
Increasing the care giving in our institutions would also honor Mother Nature. In the business world, this means training and educating employees in the skills that help them related to each other in more supportive and encouraging ways, and to have flexible policies that re sensitive to employee needs.
Our education system can be more care giving by maximizing cooperative learning, teaching children conflict resolution skills, and providing constant developmental opportunities for teachers-their own development helps them develop the young.
Our criminal justice system, too, needs to be more care-giving-not more lenient, but more effective in efforts to rehabilitate offenders so that they can leave destructive paths behind and are supported on a constructive life course.
All these actions would honor Mother Nature for giving us the nurturing instinct. The Plaque would read as follows:
To Mother Nature
Who taught us all that it is better to give than to receive.