As I was driving back from seeing a house today (yes, we have officially started the house-hunting frenzy), I was cruising along a lovely, winding country road. It's a beautiful day in the Triangle, and I was enjoying the drive.
But then, a squirrel darts out into the middle of my lane. I slow down. It stops and looks like it's going to go back to the right, so I veer to the left. The squirrel changes directions and goes left just as I'm going past and I feel the tiny bump under my wheels. I scream and look in the rear view mirror to see the lifeless body of the squirrel on the pavement.
Why is killing a small animal so traumatic? Maybe it's because it's this innocent life that was minding its own business until I came along in the Dodge. Or maybe because I actually felt the body of the squirrel through the car. All I can imagine now is the poor creatures bones being crushed by the car wheels. I know, it's morbid. But the whole incident was upsetting.
When I was in second grade, a group of us were outside during recess and came across this hairy caterpillar. We formed a circle around it and some of the girls were gently stroking its fuzz and watching it crawl around. Then this boy said "I'm going to step on it." I told him he better not dare. And then he did. Green guts went everywhere. And I started to cry. Really cry...so much that I think other kids thought I was weird.
But again, it was traumatic for me. This little animal, this life, that we as humans just callously disregard. I think I'm finally over the caterpillar incident, although it's burned into my memory. Hopefully I can get over the squirrel incident, too.
1 comment:
All life seems a little more precious after the events of the past couple days. Maybe if we can get our kids to view caterpillars with awe and reverence, we'll raise a generation of thinkers and lovers of life.
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