Adapting

Writers observe then put those observations on paper (or on the computer screen).  I spend a lot of time observing the critters outside my living room window.  Rabbits, birds, and squirrels make up the bulk of my entertainment.  I’m always amazed at how the animals in my neighborhood adapt to the way we humans try to take over everything.  Birds find safety under the eaves we build.  Rabbits find food in the gardens we plant.  Squirrels get exercise from the dogs we’ve domesticated.  When I go for my morning walk sometimes I interrupt a deer’s breakfast in the park.  They have adapted to the changes we have made to their environment.

I sometimes wonder if we are adapting to the changes we’re making.  We spend a lot of time wringing our hands, lamenting the green we’ve lost.  We spend lots of money trying to stop the changes, mitigate the damage caused.

What’s done is done.  Yes, we’ve made mistakes but we can’t go back.  We can only stop remaking those past mistakes.  Does that mean stop all off shore drilling because we had a spill?  No, but we can make the drills safer.

We also need to keep our greed in check.  Think about it.  Most accidents happen because we are hasty.  We’re greedy.  We want everything now, without regard to the consequences.

Slow down.  Think about what you’re doing and how it will affect the future.  That makes a good steward.  The animals have adapted.  We should too.

Pack out what you pack in.