The Creatures

The good man is the friend of all living things.

Gandhi
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It's noon, I just filled up my bird feeder so the finches and other small winged creatures with feathers can enjoy the cuisine. Even though the birds scatter whenever I approach they are entertaining to watch from a distance. I realize there are many other birds too large for my feeder and some of them are predators who would eat my finches if they had the chance.

How can one be friends with "all living things"? It's easy to like a rose or a violet. But who can be friends with the cat tails, and skunk cabbage? We can make friends with a kitten, a puppy, even a sheep or a horse. But how can we be friends with a cock roach, a bat or a rattle snake. The only creature who thinks a wart hog is beautiful is another wart hog.

During hunting season in the north country, men go out and bag one deer as a limit. It's a device to keep down the overpopulation of the deer. But then there are the others who come up from elsewhere dressed head to toe in shocking orange garb, enough to frighten away any creature, start drinking and waiting for the deer to show up. If they haven't killed one by Sunday afternoon they get desperate and shoot anything, goats, cows, horses, each other and themselves, in the foot. Some will even try to buy a local hunter's catch because they would be ashamed to arrive back home Sunday evening without a deer strapped to their fender. What a joke.

Then there is the man who is the full time killer. To him anything with fins, scales, fur or feathers is to be summarily dispatched. To him, apparently, the animal kingdom is to be wiped out. Is he a "good man"? He probably thinks so.

We can't take the world's animals into our homes and hearts. But we can respect their rights by protecting their environments and leaving them to take care of themselves in the own natural ways. That's the best kind of friendship one can show to animal or human.

Besides we had better be "the friend to all living things." I think some of them are evolving faster than we are.

Never give up
DB - The Vagabond
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SUMMER QUESTION

It's a long, hot, sticky summer, so here's a hot, sticky question for you. Don't let the recent New York State decision rob you of your thunder.

Same sex marriage. Should it be legal or not? If so, why? If not, why not?

dbdacoba@aol.com

10 answers so far.

You have until the last day of summer, but don't dally.
I eagerly await your answer.

DB
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