Jive Turkeys

There are big ole fat attitudinal turkeys everywhere up here.  There are even a couple that live in our yard. 

These are East Coast turkeys.  They fear no human.  They snarl traffic, defecate on the sidewalk, and advance menacingly at runners.  These turkeys are no joke. I bet they throw down.  They are at least two times the size Canadian Geese but roll just as hard.

Mostly they strut around with heads held high and beaks in the air, but they are not the most attractive birds and sound horrible.  But, I respect them.  Why?  Because turkeys don’t care that people think they’re stupid or annoying.  They don’t care that they’re valued mostly as food and/or decoration and that other animals keep their distance.  They just don’t care.  They carry themselves as if they are at the top of the food chain.  They look after and protect their young and their families.  And they eat, poop, and sleep wherever they damn please.  They seem relaxed, even keel, and don’t give a ____.

There are several studies that have concluded that a positive attitude has a measurable, positive impact on mental state as well as physical health.  And lately there has been more attention to the concept of psychological resiliency as a measure of health.  For a species that was near extinction and just carries on as it does, wild turkeys may have a lesson for us all.

Go on turkeys.  Go on. (But get out of my driveway, please.)