SQUIRREL !!!!!!

I have been known to go out of my way to not harm animals. I move ants and spiders outside the house rather than squish them as most people do.  As I drive, I continually scan the sides of roads for deer, skunks and the assortment of other wildlife that have the misfortune to try to cross busy roads.

Experts advised that it is foolish and even dangerous to stop for or swerve around wildlife when you are driving a car. I get that, but in situations where to slow down or stop doesn’t create a hazard to me or others I always give the right away to the animal.

One such situation occurred this past Saturday. I was the designated driver for my sister and her two sisters in law for a day of wine touring. As I was driving to our first winery, a black squirrel crossed in front of my car. Since I was driving slowly due to the road’s curves, I put on the brakes giving the squirrel the chance to successfully cross the road. My riders who had been chatting in the back seat were taken by surprise. Their comments were basically “You brake for squirrels?!?” For the remainder of our travels, they would periodically yell out “squirrel!!!” bringing laughter from the back seat.

You may say that I take my “do no harm” to the extreme. But I say that most of us are too dismissive towards our nonhuman friends. We spray insecticides to excess to ensure that our time outside is insect free even if that kills the very insects that pollinate the flowers in our gardens. We fence in our homes to keep out that errant deer or rabbit. We drive way too fast, not giving that animal who just wants to cross the road, much of a chance.

If that makes me an eccentric, so be it. At least I am at peace that my actions reflect my belief that all living beings: human and nonhuman, plant and animal, deserves a chance to exist.