The other day, I was browsing YouTube when I came across an inspiring story about a man and a penguin named Jinjing that teaches us the value of honor and respect. In the video above, a 70-year-old, part-time Brazilian fisherman, named João, saw a penguin who was in distress. The penguin was found lying on rocks along the beach, covered in oil and on the verge of death. Instead of simply walking by, João decided to take the penguin home, cleaned off the oil and fed the penguin a daily diet of fish to regain its strength. While nursing the penguin back to health, João named the penguin Jingjing. Once Jingjing’s strength returned, João released him into the wild on a nearby island. However, Jingjing was not ready to leave João just yet, so he returned to João’s house later that day. However, after shedding his entire coat of feathers, Jingjing finally did leave later that year. Although João thought he would never see Jingjing again, he has been very surpised to have Jingjing visit him every year. It has been speculated that Jingjing travels up to 5000 miles to visit João each year, which is incredible! To Jingjing, João must be family!
I am inspired by this story because it teaches a very important lesson about honor and respect, which are high values for all warriors. You see, when João found Jingjing in distress, he could have simply walked by and left him to die or choose to do something to help. João decided to save Jingjing’s life, as he would any other being in distress. And, in return for João’s respect, honor and empathy, Jingjing rewards João with a level friendship akin to João being another penguin in Jingjing’s family. As warriors, we too can have this unusual expression of friendship and family inspire us to treat other humans, animals and the world we all share, with respect. And, by treating the world and all who live within it with respect, we will all be rewarded for our efforts, just like João and Jingjing.
Source: Wonder World Youtube Channel