The Mindful Migraine

Is it normal to cry when you watch YouTube videos? Perhaps not, but the recent story of Punch the Monkey has got me a bit weepy. Thankfully, things seem to be taking a turn for the better for little Punch-kun (as he’s known in his hometown), which is great news… so now when I’m a bit weepy, they are tears of joy.

First up – confession time – I recently wrote about the art of critical ignoring, and how the internet is very good at stealing our time – THIS subject is a prime example of how I did NOT follow my own advice, and have fallen into a monkey-shaped-rabbit-hole of over-investiture! Consider this acknowledgement that I am 100% human, and willing to share my shortcomings (no AI puff-posting here!)

If you’re not up to date on Punch (I’m late to this party too), here’s a quick summary of his story: born in July last year, Punch the macaque monkey was abandoned by his mother (possibly due to her being a first-time mother and under stress caused by a heatwave at the time). Since then, Punch has been hand-raised by staff at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan (just outside of Tokyo) – with the help of a stuffed orangutang toy to give him some comfort. The plush-momma has been Punch’s constant companion, and images of him cuddling her, sleeping with her, even (poor Momma) being dragged around the zoo floor by Punch, are both adorable and gut-wrenching.

As one online article put it: “For a baby macaque, that maternal rejection is absolutely devastating. They’re supposed to cling to their mothers constantly. That’s how these babies feel safe. That’s how they build up their little muscles.”

But it gets worse…

Without a ‘real’ mom to help him integrate, it’s been hard going for Punch, with most of the other monkeys ignoring him completely, and a few bullies actually chasing him, flinging him, or pushing him into the water.

UGH.

I know it’s ‘just’ one little monkey in a wide world of creatures, but somehow, it hits hard.

[And after some criticism from my daughter, know that I AM well aware that there are countless children around the world who have been abandoned or neglected, and that I DO feel terribly sorry for them, and YES we absolutely should be doing more to reverse their despair. Feeling sorry for a monkey, however, doesn’t mean I don’t feel for the kids… just as love knows no bounds, empathy can be limitless also.]

But before I turn this post into a long disclaimer, I’m obviously not alone in feeling invested in little Punch’s progress. The Ikea toy Punch uses as his Mommy is sold out worldwide (including at my local store – I know, because I checked). Here’s how Ikea are advertising “Punch’s comfort orangutan” (and know that they donated a ton to the zoo, so I’m totally ok with this form of accidental stardom >> marketing opportunity):

[Image source: IKEA’s monkey moment shows the speed of culture]

The good news is that just recently, an adult monkey called Go-Chan (an ex-circus performer who has his own traumatic backstory) has started giving Punch cuddles and is grooming him as a sign of acceptance – hooray!

The zoo claims that attendance has skyrocketed as guests go to Monkey Mountain and yell encouragement at the little orphan. One post I saw online had a photo of the baby monkey with words underneath which read something like: “I’m more worried about this monkey at the moment than my career.”

Here’s how the news in Australia covered it (if the link doesn’t work in your area, google Punch the Monkey and you’ll find dozens of videos to sigh over):

[Video source: What does the future hold for Punch the monkey? | ABC NEWS – YouTube]

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OK, so while I go drink a cup of tea to calm my beating heart, why don’t we end this post by remembering:

+ ALL babies deserve love and affection

+ EVERYONE needs to know they have someone in their corner

+ KINDNESS MATTERS

+ Bullying is NOT ok

+ Being lonely is hard and rejection hurts like hell

+ Find comfort where you can (safely) and hold onto it

+ Be resilient… sometimes finding your troop / tribe takes time

+ The whole world really can come together if the cause feels right

+ Hope is a powerful emotion

+ Mommies matter (the cuddlier the better)

+ Being a first-time mom isn’t easy – give them assistance not judgement

+ Do what you can to help others feel like they belong

And lastly, I promise that YOU ARE ENOUGH.

Short post – but big feelings!

Take care taking care (of everyone),

Linda x