058 Built from Yourself
Hey Swiftlet, your nest is not built from twigs or grass. It is made out of you — your own saliva, dried hard against a cave wall in the dark.
What would we build if we had nothing but ourselves to build it from?
What would you build if all you had was yourself?
Deep inside a dark sea cave, small birds dart in and out, clicking as they fly.
High on the rock wall, there are tiny white cups, glued to the stone.
What really happens
Edible-nest swiftlets build their nests almost entirely from their own saliva. It hardens as it dries.
Some swiftlets find their way in the dark caves using clicking sounds that echo off the walls.
How we know: Edible-nest swiftlets live in South and Southeast Asia, including India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands; their nests and echolocation are well studied.
The turn
We often say we cannot build because we lack materials, money, help.
The swiftlet builds from the one thing it always has: itself.
Three takeaways
- You are your own first material.
- Effort, time and care are things you always carry.
- Build in the dark if you must.
When there is nothing else, build from yourself.
Every spirit builds itself a house; and beyond its house a world; and beyond its world, a heaven.