The deer

Ok, so the saddest thing happened last night at work. I work on the edge of a canyon basically... well like 5 businesses down from the trailhead. The road that runs in front of my work is a 50 mph zone, which means everyone is going at least 60. Well, somehow this deer managed to find its way out of the canyon and into our parking lot. Well, I'm not sure how the deer got there exactly, but it must have found it's way in along the street. So now it's trapped. It can see the lovely hill that is it's home at the end of the lot, but there is a chain link fence blocking it in. This deer wanted home so bad that it was literally throwing itself into the fence over and over. It tried jumping over the fence, but it was about 2 feet too high for it. We tried to find a gap in the fence where we might be able to let it out, we tried lifting up the bottom of the fence, we even tried knocking the fence over, but we couldn't do it.... and the deer wandered back out into the traffic. All I can hope is that somehow the deer managed to wander back home. Somehow I doubt it... it was wandering toward the freeway.

It just reminded me again of how sad and desperate our situation is on this planet. Humans are destroying the world, and most of them either don't see it or don't care. Most of those that do care either think the task of fixing it is too large and don't bother trying to help. Yes, the task is a large one. However, you can't be held responsible for the actions of others... but you are responsible for your own. So, the next time that you drink a soda and you think that it might be some trouble to hang on to the can until you can recycle it, remember it is your responsibility. The next time that you want to take a 30 min shower, remember that we live in a desert where fresh water is scarce, we have brought that water here by changing the landscape of the rivers, and in doing so have taken lands that rightly belong to wildlife. Be grateful for what you have been given. If you just get out there, into nature and are reminded of it's beauty, you might be less likely to drive 3 blocks to the fast food place down the street, and maybe walk instead, goodness knows you could probably use the walk if you're eating fast food.

The answer is not in getting everybody to change their lifestyle. The answer is in each individual doing what they can, even if it is an inconvenience.