President's Weekly Reflection & Touchpoint

Keep CRUSHING it!

“I've Learned”

I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned that making a "living" is not the same as making a "life." I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I sually make the right decision. I've learned that when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Maya Angelou

Spotlight of the Week

Ever wonder why there is a hummingbird in our logo? Here is why? Generally speaking, hummingbirds serve as good reminders to live life to the fullest and enjoy the simple pleasures in life. Hummingbirds are some of the tiniest birds in the world. They possess small, lightweight torsos with relatively large wings that allow them to fly remarkably fast with incredible precision. But many types of birds have large wings, so what sets hummingbirds apart when it comes to their amazing maneuverability?

According to I. Berberi (2022), the secret lies within their muscles and bones.

Here are some facts about hummingbirds:

• Hummingbirds require large wing muscles to continually flap their wings quickly during flight, known as a high wing beat frequency. High wing beat frequency allows hummingbirds to perform their unique hovering flight, especially during their summer visits to your flowers and backyard feeders.

• Hummingbirds need large amounts of energy to fly continuously and gather food. Additionally, the adaptation of a long chest bone is the perfect surface needed for wing muscles: the larger the surface of the chest bone, the more muscle can be connected.

• In order to hover, hummingbirds flap their wings in the shape of a figure eight. This wing beat style is made possible by continuous “wrist flicks” from their shortened arm bone — a unique characteristic not found in any other bird species. By working together, the muscles and bones of hummingbirds allow for hovering and sideways and backwards flight at speeds that top 50 km/hr.

• When scientists looked at how the muscles and bones of hummingbirds come together to generate fast, precise flight in these tiny birds, they became interested in whether these same mechanisms could be engineered.

• Scientists created drones in hummingbirds’ likeness. These drones can access unreachable locations and gather information via an attached video camera.

What is the relevance to becoming a part of our logo? Hummingbirds mean creativity and innovation. They are relentless and they will find ways to overcome challenges. They are one of the tiniest bird species, yet they are strong and agile. I do believe that is who we are. That is who the PNA North Houston team is! We are hummingbirds … BOLD and UNSTOPPABLE!