The March of the Penguins

If you've read any of the dozen or less blogs posted here, chances are they related to a movie I'd recently seen. I'm into film, esp. great epics like Lord of the Rings or Star Wars. I also have a soft spot for historical films and documentaries, however. Like the fantastic stories of Tolkien and Lucas, nonfiction has the ability to transport us into another world. Fictional worlds like Middle Earth or Tatooine (Luke Skywalker's home planet) can be pretty exotic and well beyond reality as we know it. Nonfictional films can have the same effect, however, as I experienced tonight.

Rachael and I just watched National Geographic's theatrical release of The March of the Penguins. This full-length film is (perhaps surprisingly) not boring. At least, we found it pretty fascinating. I am sure I've not fully appreciated all of its wonder. There is a lot of wonder in pondering God's creation, including the yearly 70 mile journey of 7,000 Emporer Penguins. You may have been to the aquarium and seen these creatures swim--a skill they are adept at. If you've also seen them walk, however, you'll realize the feat accomplished when they make this 70 mile journery entirely on their feet (or on their bellies with feet kicking behind)! I've ran a marathon (26.2 miles), but 70 miles in temperatures reaching 50 below zero! Because I don't want to spoil everything, I'll just add one more profundity: after laying eggs (mating and bearing babies is the point of the penguins' journey), the father remains with the egg while the mother rewalks the 70 mile hike to the sea, where she stocks up on food to bring back to the baby and its father. This takes her four months, which means the father has to fast and wait with the baby until she returns. Four months of fasting! No, four months of fasting in the world's coldest, driest, and darkest continent, with storms and winds of 120 m.p.h. This is just one of the amazing things to ponder about God's wonderful creation. I encourage you to contemplate, at least from time to time, the works of God in this created realm. The March of the Penguins is a fair place to start.