Naturally

My happy thought for the day is the absolute wonder that is nature. I'm not one who often watches television aside from perhaps CSI but I could not peel myself from Animal Planet tonight. They were airing several shows about bizarre partnerships and occurences that have amazed and puzzled biologists for years. Deers that when lacking a source of calcium and other minerals started eating the heads off of fledgling birds. Blind shrimp with seeing eye fish. A parasite that replaces a fish's tongue. The one that fascinated me the most was a caterpillar that releases a pheromone when confronted with a tree ant that calms it (the ant would normally kill any trespassing bugs on its tree). Once calmed, the ant will ride on the caterpillar's back and eats a honey like sap produced by a nipple on its back. The ant in turn protects the caterpillar from predators. And even more mind boggling, the ants will get together and build a shelter for the caterpillar every night. They sew two leaves together by squeezing their grubs along the edges which causes them to release a sticky silk and then they lead the caterpillar inside the shelter where it stays until its time to feed the next day. How wild is that?! The sheer complexity of nature and evolution never ceases to boggle my mind. And it always leaves a smile on my face because it is just so beautiful.

The down side of this thought is that most people just don't care. Either by sheer ignorance or simple apathy, many people in this world never take the time to revel in the complex beauty around them. And this leads to the lack of concern about the destruction of entire ecosystems around the planet. It saddens me to think that any individual can look at tree and see simply a lawn ornament or worse yet, a resource to be consumed. I've spent a lot of time reflecting about how we as a society fit into this world and what we are doing to lead ourselves down this catastrophic path. We will destroy this world unless more people realize that we are not here to use this planet at our abandon but instead it is our responsibility as an intelligent creature to plan for the future, to conserve the wonders around us, and to become a steward to the wonderful world that we grew from. Sometimes I wonder if I am looking at a different world then everyone else because others walk by without a second thought but I cannot help but stop and stare at the life all around me. And while others can go to sleep at night with heads full of everyday trifles, I cannot help but shed a tear for the destruction that is ravishing existence. For a long time I wished that I simply would stop feeling the pain so I could go on living as normal but now, as horrible as it seems, I've started wishing the pain upon others so that more people may see the consequences of their actions. And in doing so can preserve and appreciate the beauty of nature. There is something bigger out there worth caring about.

Yes, I'm a tree hugger!
Eco-Huggles

ps. A duck's quack does in fact echoe.