Right away from birth we humans can’t do much, in terms of movement and language…we have to learn everything. Why do we humans have to learn so much of our movements and speech, and behaviour…  seemingly everything? Why aren’t we like other mammals, for example like horses, who are able to stand, walk and run within a few days after birth, and utter sounds in an inherent, universal language?

Yes, there’s pretty explanations… brain development and bone density and yada yada yada, it’s all laid out in developmental science, but… why is it like this? Why is the sky blue? I mean yes, sure, Rayleigh scattering, but why is that wavelength blue and not green or transparent? Why — in a “why is it really” sense?

So I was thinking this morning, as I was standing in my bathroom, in my pyjamas and with my eyes closed, and while I made up a Somatics movement class in standing.

Physiological reasons aside: Is it, maybe, to set us up for lifelong learning? Just like baby birds need to learn to fly, required by nature, we humans are required by nature to learn to learn?

By having to learn to turn, roll, arch, creep, crawl, sit, stand, grasp, let go, throw, catch, walk, hop and skip, by being required to learn all of this and much more, we humans are set up for a life that includes learning, just like a bird is set up for a life that includes flying.

I’ve made some affirmations:

• The process of learning is a natural part of me, and I embrace it wholeheartedly.
• I find pleasure in acquiring new skills and insights.
• Every day, I discover new opportunities for growth and learning, and I welcome them with open arms.

Remember, affirmations can be wonderful tools to nourish positive beliefs and attitudes. Ok now, I will turn some affirmations into rhymes (with a smile):

Embracing learning,
I’ll brightly shine,
the joy of being,
I sure make it mine.

Learning,
a process dear part of me,
I do embrace it whole-heart-ed-ly.

I’m still yearning
to make more time for learning.

Please note: I’m writing about movement learning and humane learning, not the plethora of inhumane crimes that are committed on the daily in compulsory schooling, which is making people live out their lives in an invisible prison of their school-conditioned minds. Ok, rhyme and shine, now it’s your turn. 😄