I’ve been thinking about the term lizard brain. I hear it used when we’re referring to the behaviors humans exhibit when they react to feeling afraid. Violent, argumentative, fawning, running away.
It makes me think of Komodo dragons and crocodiles. So cold-blooded!
I stood on an ecological walkway last week, watching a clustering of turtles sunning themselves together on a log. It struck me that turtles, too are reptiles, as are geckos and bearded dragons.
While I don’t expect a crocodile to befriend me, no matter how much food I give it, turtles love each other and can form attachments with non-turtle animals. Look at how much they love to snuggle! Climbing on top of each other, dropping into the cool water for a swim. They also love strawberries.
There are so many. non-aggressive reptiles that form attachments and display creativity and playfulness. I think it’s fair to say instinct draws us to playful connection as much as it can tell us when to feel alert.
Puddles of Thought 