I watched the groundhog waddling closer and closer to our front porch. From my kitchen window, I could see him glance at our reflective storm door. Then, he stood on his hind legs looking into the glass, then from side to side to see if anyone was watching I presume. Suddenly, to my amazement, while standing upright, he began swaying back and forth as though he was hearing some music that I wasn't privileged to hear and all the while looking at the reflection in the glass.
At the end of the summer last year, I observed a very busy squirrel at the base of one of the old trees in our yard. Mrs. Squirrel was stashing away nuts. She worked diligently digging and burying; digging and burying. When she was satisfied she had done a good job of hiding what she had foraged for the winter, she scampered off across the creek. Meanwhile, another squirrel, who had taken it's place on a limb high above that industrious squirrel, was watching every move she made. As soon as she was out of sight, down came the thief and retrieved Ms. Squirrel's food and buried it under another tree nearby.
Then there are the Blue Jays. What a beautiful bird they are! But, evil lurks within them and at the sight of another bird of a different species, they dive bomb, squawing loudly and scaring the innocent bird away.
We also have skunks. A family of them chose one of our storage buildings for a home. Late in the evening, you can see them wander out and casually look around. Occasionally, they raise a stink most often just because they can.
A tree along our fence line apparently has been designated as the maternity ward for our neighbors cows so we have a ring side seat to the miracle of birth. Meanwhile, a lot of the cows gather round to watch. As soon as the baby emerges, they all must have a look. I can hear them saying one to another, " Oh dear, what an ugly calf. I'm just glad my calf is beautiful".
Our Ms. Kitty , like most cats, is noted for her ability to let you know when she wants to be held and when she has had enough. When she wants attention, she can get it; when she wants to be left alone, she makes that known loudly, too.
Are we a little like the animals or the birds of the air? Do we look at ourselves and dance around like Mr. Groundhog thinking we are all that and then some? Or like that thieving squirrel, who waited until Ms. Squirrel had done all the work and then slip in and take what we were too lazy to work for? Or perhaps, we are like Mr. Blue Jay, just waiting until someone shows up we can heckle just because they look different than we do.
Are there any of us who wander about just waiting to raise stink over the tiniest thing? Maybe some of us are like the cows comparing our family to another family whose children may not be as beautiful or as smart or dress as well as ours?
Surely none of us have the personality of Ms. Kitty in that we want what we want when we want it no matter how inconvenient it might be for someone else. And, when we have used that someone for our purpose, they are cast away like an old shoe.
" If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." Romans 12:18
"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." Philippians 2:3
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