Remember the Ravens

I am sitting at my desk watching the ravens outside.  Earlier I put a handful of oranges on the table for them and now they have found their bounty and are ready to eat.  One black raven, its feathers glossy and shimmering in the sun, picks up an orange and jumps on the brick wall.  He holds the orange down with his feet and begins to peel the orange; in fact, he peels it in much the same way that you and I would.  I am intrigued by this and watch until he has a good chunk of the peel gone.  He then uses his beak to pick out the inside of the orange, watching his surroundings as he slowly pecks at the orange to release a new section. 

I once heard that ravens have the same intelligence as a German Shepard.  They need to, it was explained to me, because they are scavengers and must be clever enough to find food in a myriad of places.  I’ve always thought dogs were pretty clever, so I imagine these ravens are as well.  And beautiful, although we often take them for granted as they are so ubiquitous here in the Southwest.

It strikes me that ravens are more intelligent than other birds because they “have to be.”  Perhaps each of us is as clever as we have to be.  For some, growing up in a rough and tumble existence requires the development of great “street smarts.”  For others who head off to college and a career in corporate America, the “smarts” are different.  Navigating a relationship requires an entirely different kind of “smart,” as does being a great videogamer, or a great athlete, or a great poet.  But if it is within each of us to be as “smart” as we need to be, then we should rejoice!

I often hear students tell me that they are “not smart enough to go to college.”  Let’s refer back to the raven: you are as smart as you need to be.  Getting through college is not as challenging as most would have you believe—look at those who have college degrees and you are provided good evidence of that.  You, my friend, have exactly what you need to excel in college and in life.  You just have to believe that you do.  You also have what it takes to be successful in your career, your relationships, your parenting, and a plethora of other areas in your life.  You just have to recognize that it is true.

The ravens have flown away.  In fact, each night I watch them as they fly in droves in the same direction.  I imagine they have trees in which they roost and I wonder if when they arrive, one by one, they share the events of their day.  The triumph of an orange well peeled.  The observation of a small boy walking to school.  The successful treasure hunting in an over-filled trash can.  Maybe they cackle with each other knowing it has been a good day.  A day where they had exactly what they needed to survive, and even to prosper.  Just like you and me.  It our moments of greatest doubt, it might do us good to remember the ravens.  Because, really, we have exactly what we need.