The return home

By Dr James Dobson

Recently I heard an incredible story of the perseverance of the Pacific Salmon featured in a nature video produced by the Moody Institute of Science. A salmon was spawned in a hatchery in northern California, released into a channel which led to a stream, the stream to a river, and the river to the Pacific Ocean.

After becoming ocean-bound, the fish swam thousands of kilometres. Then, as if by command, he began a treacherous journey back to the place of his spawning.

Not only did the fish locate the spot where he’d entered the ocean, but also the river, the stream, and the exact inlet from which he had been released. But here’s the almost unbelievable part of the story. The salmon worked his way up through a drain and pushed through a heavy-screened lid on top of a one-metre vertical pipe, to end up in the very same tank from which he was hatched. Special markings on his fin confirmed the amazing journey.

There is, perhaps, a parallel between the early life of the salmon and the impact we, as parents, have on our children. Our kids are shaped forever by the love and training received at home. They will always be influenced by the experiences that characterised the family in which they were raised. It’s an awesome thought.


From TODAY, Voices - Thursday, 13-May-2010
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