"The hummingbird is a wonderful example of the natural relationship between self-nurturing and giving. Listening to its instincts, a hummingbird consumes sweet nectar from flowers four to eight times an hour. While nourishing itself, pollen falls on the hummingbird's body. This unconsumed pollen pollinates the next flower the bird visits, causing new flowers to grow. In nurturing itself, the hummingbird gives back to the world.
"The natural interconnectedness of giving is also revealed in the hummingbird's relationship to flower mites. These tiny insects live only in flowers from which the hummingbird feeds. When flowering ceases, the mites need to find new homes but are unable to proceed on their own to other flowering plants. They ride inside the nostril of the hummingbird who is pursuing its own nourishment while traveling from flower to flower. What an amazing example of nature's proof that listening to one's innate needs provides for others."
