The punch line to the old joke is wrong. Chickens cross the road to get something they want. In the case of these chicks I photographed in downtown Kailua, Hawaii, a gaggle of fast food places and a Whole Foods Market were on the other side of the busy street. Ample incentive.

The real question, however, is not why, but how. Feral chickens are not rare in Hawaii but one sees few of them as roadkill. So, somehow, the chicks learn how to cross roads.

Here, we have evidence of instruction. This hen and her very young brood are poised on the curb being introduced to cars and pedestrians. When they wander too far, she shoos them back, when they don't venture out, she nudges them.

We were all chicks once.

Thanks mom, thanks dad. And thanks to the teachers who are heading back to their classrooms. All instruct about crossing the road.

Meditate on that for a while.

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And join us on Friday morning at 8 for silent Centering Prayer. If you need the internet URL, email me at charlestaylorkerchner@gmail.com