A Herd of Elephants

Each morning the elephant herd marches down my hallway.  It's always too early, and too loud, and it makes me grouchy. 

The reality of the marching elephants may seem shocking to some, mostly because I do not currently live on the African savanna.  But the marching herd has become an expected ritual at our house.

I first became aware of the marching elephants when my daughter enrolled in a semi-private tumbling class with another dance friend.  As the inexplicably petite girls ran laps around the gym, the coach began to snicker.  She then confided in me that she can always tell the dancers from the tumblers during warm-ups.  When I raised my eyebrows, she told me to listen to the way they run...

The gymnasts and tumblers ran quickly around the mats, with nary a sound to be heard...  My little dancer and her friend clomped around like, you guessed it, a herd of elephants...

What is it about those lithe, little bodies that create such a ruckus?  It really seems inconceivable that such little people can make such loud noises.  I think it must have something to do with the way they are programmed to be so deliberate in their movement.  Each move they make is choreographed to hit a certain position or angle.  They are taught to be aware of placement, and to move with intention.  Maybe that precision of movement is what makes them place their feet so firmly on the floor.

Or, maybe they just don't know how to run quietly...  Regardless, I think I need to look into elephant training.  Do you think elephants can learn to be light on their feet?  I certainly hope so...