The Circle of Life

Once upon a time, there was a Kingdom within a Kingdom, with lofty headstones that stand beside simple grave markers, all remembering their dearly departed. 

And all around that least sought after piece of real estate, were wrought iron gates, padlocked at sun down, whether to keep the live out or the dead in, was up for debate.

In this sacred ground where the saints lay side by side the sinners, there is so much life … before death…after death …constant motion as plots are set in motion and plots are filled….

We the trees hear it all, see it all, feel it all…and are constantly entertained by the busy little squirrels, rabbits and a plethora of birds that make nests on the sturdiest, most leafiest branches that protect their young until such time that they breakout…to a sometimes unforgiving world… because well, you know kids theses days….they don’t listen to their elders.

We all hear the Mama Squirrels and (Papas too) shriek at their babies….do not go past the wrought iron fence…there is traffic out there…cars driven almost seems autonomously by sleep deprived Two Footed creatures, who notice (oh, darn) after the damage has been inflicted on the innocent.

Still we get endless hours of entertainment watching baby squirrels, one racing up, one racing down the tree, colliding head on falling to the ground…shake themselves off and start all over again.   We laugh and say they need teeny tiny crash helmets to protect their still developing brains…assuming they have brains (big assumption). Still, a lot of the squirrels and rabbits are smart and stay, generation after generation, like us, rooted to the land of their ancestors.

Yes, those super sweet, fluffy little bunnies who hop, hop, hop after their Mama’s… until the day they decide to slide under the iron gate to freedom….well, ‘Come back, come back, you are protected in the Sanctuary of the Dead’ falls on deaf ears.  We always sigh when we see that happen because the predators … your affectionate domestic cat, to your loving smoochie  doggie have a divine plan and that poor helpless bunny is in its cross hares….so to speak.

Poor Mama Bunny usually has a couple in her litter who are either wiser or more timid, that have it figured out….inside the gates, safe operation, outside, all bets off…we’re staying put.

But the birds, the birds, how can we help the birds…because it is free range for those nasty crows, who rob nests indiscriminately (some, not all) …and those environmentally friendly eagles…well, they can be hell to pay for other feathered friends…Armageddon all over again. 

So Hear Ye, Hear Ye…This Meeting Has Now Been Called to order:   In Attendance:  A Slew of Squirrels: Red, Brown, Gray, Black and a couple of Albinos….   Rabbits, all shape, colors and sizes…quite obvious that some families are hogging the carnation patches…Some beaten up feral cats…

A family of Raccoons that live in the steel bin behind the Equipment Shed…A posse of skunks (who let them in?) … A Lonely old Possum and some Garden snakes ….oh, and it is such a wet summer, there are intermittent ponds around the grounds, with a Duck Family  and Frogs.

Since we live in a (sort of) democracy, we allow input from all present…no, no, we will not be building a Trump Wall around the Sacred Resting Place of the Two Footed, nor erecting a retractable  or wire dome to keep your precious babies from harm’s way.

However  we, the big old oak trees, fir trees, maple trees, birch trees…we have made a pack, taken an oath, made a pledge  …. if you, our feathered, flurry and slithery friends will just tone it down, whisper like the leaves, (always blame the victim)  we will do our best to protect you from the destructive, dark forces of nature and man.

Oh, and Mama… step up the discipline…if there is such a thing as dog trainers…surely there must be squirrel, rabbit, bird trainers who will teach your dearest, most darling offspring that, ‘No means No’ or erect electronic fences.   As parents. you must bring something to the table.

Mr. Wise Old Owl looked down from his perch and proclaimed… ‘That won’t work… we support the rite of passage of Rumspringa for our youth…for if no one leaves, we will be over run with population, many will perish as supplies dwindle, as hunger ensues, chaos will soon follow.

‘Huh’, said the Trees.  ‘Huh’, repeated all the Feathered, Furry and Slippery Friends.  ‘Meeting adjourned’, said the Most Ancient Old Oak Tree…and Mr. Wise Owl, don’t come to the next meeting… Nobody likes a Know-It-All.   

Still, Most Ancient Old Oak Tree mused… ‘It’s the circle of life…And it moves us all…Through ups and downs….Through faith and love….Till we find our place…On the path unwinding…..In the circle…The circle of life…

(Paraphrase T.Bindon Rice;Elton John)