— by Susan Eirich, PhD —
We all have our ways of looking at life, being attracted to what is important to us (hopefully that is defined by ourselves rather than others). Yesterday I was driving in Jackson, Wyoming when I saw a tall naked tree trunk standing on a street corner, all its branches severed, a tall scarred column. A strange sight. It was a pine tree, boughs scattered on the ground. A tree service truck was parked nearby. I screeched to a halt, backed up and got out. Fresh pine boughs! Porcupine delight! A young man in a hard hat was gathering the boughs to be put into a chipper. When I told him it was for a porcupine and that I ran an animal sanctuary he was delighted to help. “Better than being chipped!,” he said, and helped me gather what we could fit into the back of my Subaru. Then I noticed pine cones on the ground. Nugget the squirrel! A chance to try to get her off her almond addiction and into natural food!
Two animals would have treats that afternoon. I left satisfied, with the sense of my own belly full. We all have different definitions of rich.
2 October 2017
Dr. Susan Eirich is the Founder and Executive Director of Earthfire Institute Wildlife Sanctuary and Retreat Center. A licensed psychologist, biologist and educator, her goal is to widen the circle of conversation about conservation to include the voices of all living beings.
