Something didn’t sit right about the teacher’s statement. Not that I loved sociology or paid a whole lot of attention in his class, but when he stood firm on this notion, standing in his straight gray suit, he seemed very certain – I was sure he had gotten lost in a study gone deaf.

“Man has lost all instinct. Only animals have it now.”

A young woman debated him, giving her own example of motherhood and how mama’s just know things about their children. He stood firm, and I thought, tilted — maybe he’s looking for some healthy debates to promote discussion, but no. His ears stopped at the stream of information and his stance stood stubborn.

My instinct is to eat. And sleep. And eat. And sleep…

Some scientists warn that the term, instinct, should be taken with a grain of salt because we don’t know how animals have a built in knowledge of survival. Some theories go something like “animals can probably hear a disaster coming at a level humans can’t detect….vibrations in the earth warn them of earthquakes and hurricanes, but we don’t know how they are able to feel them….air pressure – it’s got to be the air pressure! For heavens sake don’t say instinct…it’s not a proven theory yet!

(Shall we ask them about the theory of evolution? He he)

Some pay attention a little better.

“There have also been examples where authorities have forecast successfully a major earthquake, based in part on the observation of the strange antics of animals. For example, in 1975 Chinese officials ordered the evacuation of Haicheng, a city with one million people, just days before a 7.3-magnitude quake. Only a small portion of the population was hurt or killed. If the city had not been evacuated, it is estimated that the number of fatalities and injuries could have exceeded 150,000.”- The National Geographic.

Eight years ago, I was checking the security of the building exterior at work. Door locked-check, No one collapsed in the driveway-check, trail where the homeless population clear-oh wait, there’s a guy. I walk on, hoping he moves on his merry way but out he comes, straight towards me. I’m not by any of the exit doors and there are neither scrubs nor badge of another employee around. Crap. I could haul derriere to the smoking area where there should be a few buddies, but something reaches in my gut and pulls me to a stop. So I did, and faced him. I held up my maglight and gave him the “I will crush you” look.

“What are you doing here?”

He turned and left.

Score one for that unproven theory.

Thank you, instinct. Thank you, God. You are mightier than logical man and all things proven and unproven and whether you emit ultracrazy sounds or vibrations to warn us or just whisper into souls, you are sovereign.

So, I imagine Mr. Sociology would have ran, or called for back-up. And he might have been fine.

But I won’t discount a nudge if it’s stronger than a theory.

Do you have your own experiences with instinct, or whatever you want to call it? Tell us in the comments.