A Goldfinch I Saw on One of My Walks |
I saw all of this from a distance and then saw the two women stop and look at something on the ground at the side of the path. One of them picked up something, maybe it was an acorn or some kind of berry. The little girl came running back to see why the others had stopped.
The younger woman pointed at something, "Do you see it?" I heard her say in an excited voice. I wondered what it was? I was getting nearer to them, but could not see what it was.
The older woman said, "GET IT!"
The younger woman joined in, "Get it, Get it!"
And the little girl stomped on something. I gasped! Who would encourage a little girl to kill something? I am sure it was a spider or bug...but that doesn't matter. I can't remember a time when either of my parents would have told me to kill something. I was shown the beauty in each creature and to respect life. I remember reading a book about Albert Schweitzer when I was probably eight or nine. He mentioned that even the ants have a right to walk upon this earth.
Isn't this a cute little fellow? |
I continued my walk. I wanted so much to say something to these three, but I didn't . I felt sad for the little girl. What did she learn on that walk? Memories of my father telling me about how spiders and snakes were good for the garden. Every animal and creature had a purpose. (I still don't see the purpose of mosquitoes.) I came upon a caterpillar walking across the path, bent down, picked it up and deposited it far into the trees. I feared it might be the next victim.
Love your pics. Don't read my spider posts. I'm afraid that my own fear keeps me from being merciful and kind. But when I'm outside, I can let spiders be. I've even found myself taking pictures of spiders lately, so maybe my fear is fading as I age. I still don't like them in my house though. You were lucky to be taught such respect for all creatures.
ReplyDeleteThat is sad. As I grow older, I find myself appreciating all forms of life more and more.
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