“Don’t eat alone.” And other sage advice humpback whales gave me.
At a critical point in life I got schooled by some humpback whales. To this day I’m still learning to take their advice.
It was a July day four years ago when I found myself dashing to the side of a boat, slip-sliding and fumbling for my phone. Awe had seemed to seize my muscles. Words wouldn’t form but our boat was awash with ooohs and awwws.
While boating along the Kenai Peninsula we had happened upon a group of humpback whales bubble net feeding. These humpbacks were in a circle jumping, splashing, looking like they were playing a children’s game. I was witnessing divine magic.
Yet, this wasn’t play. It was a survival skill…and a raucous feast. This practice of bubble net feeding is apparently a learned skill, not a natural habit. They come together to blow bumbles to trap schools of fish. (Here’s a fabulous short video explaining how it works.)
The popular theory is that they decided to not eat alone after being hunted to almost extinction. By coming together and creating this net of bumbles they increase their odds of all eating.
As I mentioned, I witnessed this four years ago. At the beginning of that summer I had shoved my belongings in storage to see if I could design a non-traditional career for a season. I had headed off to Cuba to chase a story and explore independent filmmaking. I also led a service trip to Haiti and then set off to Alaska to lead another one.
I had no idea what I was in for. When I filled that storage unit on that Memorial Day weekend I thought I’d retrieve my belongings by Labor Day and have a traditional career sorted out again.
Four years later, a traditional career seems like a distant memory. To be quite candid, my career was never traditional in the type of work, but I did have a salary and benefits. What I had back then was a sense of job security, financial security, and frankly false security.
Swimming in these “non-traditional career” waters has been challenging—ok, heart-pounding scary at times. More than once I have felt on the brink of extinction…out on my own as a humpback whale trying to live off of minnows.
The gig economy can be so isolating. The entrepreneurial world can seem like shark infested waters. Going solo can feel like being hunted.
But when I’ve remembered “not to eat alone” I have been able to do what I couldn’t on my own. During this time I have had the opportunity to work on multiple continents, meet remarkable people, tell some incredible stories and co-found two companies.
When I have circled up with others, I have been energized, nourished and at times it has felt like divine magic.
The phrase that keeps coming back to me is this:
Community creates capacity.
I can’t help writing about this again and again because it feels like my survival depends on it. And while I gain energy with people and love to collaborate, I still try “to eat alone” way too much these days. Without the structure of an office and the rhythm of a team, I can forget the power of community.
So I’m learning to ask myself: What’s one thing I can do to create community today?
Today, it’s writing this blog and asking YOU what you do to not eat alone? How are you creating community?
Do tell.
And feel free to share any advice you’ve gotten from humpback whales or other creatures.
Dear my Tamara Park,
How are you there? How is everything with you and with all your family members? With God in charge, I am sending this message to finds you well and in the best of everything!
Next to my greetings, I would like to shortly remind myself to you. It has been so long since we saw each other.
Well, this is Nati. The boy who met you many many years ago in Lalibela- Ethiopia. I got the chance to met you during the time you were visiting Lalibela. I always try to write to you, but I haven’t been able to write due to different reasons and please forgive me for taking so long.
We meet around Lalibela and you was walking around lalibela church’s and you bought us a book.
Currently I graduate this year tourism and travel guiding the book you bought to me is really helpful for me and help me to go through with my English to day the purpose of my message is to tell you that you are one of the person that who did great thing to my life!
How are you again and again? Please keep me posted about your wellness and about the wellness of your family members.
I am fine so far, we have to thank God in every circumstance. So, we are fine. Unlikely, the conflict in Ethiopia has been very difficult. But there is an improvement. I am so sorry to learn about the war in Europe. That’s really unacceptable and something that must be condemned. There is no war won or lost, there is only ‘”War”! Destructive, killer, inhuman! Wars did not solve any problems, but they always sowed the seeds of the next. Wars are sparked by few people, but they did not fight or die. Ordinary people kill each other, they fall into limestone pit of a foreign land, and their homes perish. They are the tools and they are the victims.
Ps: we have send you the picture that taken with you!
Can you please send to me your Skype
This is for now,
Lots of love from Nati,
Lalibela- Ethiopia,
Nati, thanks so much for your beautiful message. I certainly remember you and am so proud of you! Congratulations for passing your tourism exams. What an amazing accomplishment! I am sure you are such a fantastic guide.
And yes, it’s been heartbreaking to hear how devastating the conflict has affected Ethiopians. I am praying that peace, provision and healing will abound to you, your family and all those in Lailibela.
Thanks again for taking the time to write. It has made my day! With great gratitude,
Tamara
PS – I will send you the picture separately. Kind regards to you and your family!