"In every heart there is a coward, and a procrastsinator. / In every heart there is a god of flowers, just waiting/ to come out of its cloud and lift its wings." Mary Oliver, The Kookaburras
Squirrels have a reputation as rather simple, feckless creatures. Here in the woods I have watched their numbers rise and fall in relation to the supplies of food and the numbers of hawks fledged. They are curious, animated, adventurous and appealing. Many an evening I have sat out on the deck and watched new babies creep, creep close to investigate me, their little tummies pressed close to the deck boards, their noses quivering, as they inch their way closer. But their strongest trait has to be determination. Anyone who puts up a bird feeder knows that. They are relentless in their pursuit of the seed. Over and over they try all sorts of strategies and to my consternation, most of the time, they win. One summer I kept score of the number of times I outsmarted the squirrels in my efforts to position the feeder and obstruct their access. Given enough time, they eventually compromised every feeder. They are a great example of the power of focus, even if your brain is the size of a grape.
Determination is fueled by desire. We see that in our own lives. There is something we want to achieve, or have happen and we direct the use of our energies and gifts towards making that occur. In the world of the squirrel, this revolves around food. For us, its much more complicated. Our desires extend far beyond the necessities of living and its direction can profoundly effect the lives of others. Sometimes in our determination to reach a desired result, we forget this very important aspect.
