One fact you should know about me and my blog is that every single story in it is absolutely 100% true. Really. I base every tail (lol) on my very own personal experiences.
I offer that disclaimer because some of you may think this next report is contrived to fit the times, but i swear on all that is good in the universe (like walks and chew toys) that this is exactly what happened in my life today…
I was out for a walk with mom, dad, and Molly when we saw two squirrels sprinting through the woods. From my perspective, one squirrel was chasing and one squirrel was frantically running away. The two tumbling squirrels were just about to leap to the nearest tree…one still chasing, one still running for its life….when Molly caught sight of them.
SQUIRREL!!!!!
SQUIRRELS!!!!!!
Because i sometimes falter in my obedience skills (see Book One: Philip T. Basher is Imperfectphil out in April for more on that topic), i was restrained by a leash and had to stay put.
Molly however, being that older sibling who always makes the young dog look bad, was wandering freely…until she saw the squirrels…AND OFF SHE WENT!
SQUIRRELS!!!!
Very few dogs ever actually catch the squirrel, so there was no real threat to the fluffy rodents, but what did occur was significant nonetheless.
Those two squirrels—who only seconds before had been tearing after one another at lightning speed and about to leap recklessly into a tree—caught sight of M-O-L-L-Y.
That’s right. Ninety pounds of pitbull pummeling down the Paulinskill Trail right at them.
DANGER DANGER DANGER
STRANGER DANGER
And
They
Froze.
Not only did they freeze, they exchanged a quick look of brotherhood, a look of trust, a look of faith, and instantly turned around and ran safely into the bushes behind them.
Dog thwarted again. Squirrels safe.
Standing back on the trail with mom and dad, i realized what i had just witnessed.
Two squirrels, running aimlessly, scared of their own kind, encountering a darker threat than each other on the trail, were safer and stronger when they avoided the bigger danger by sticking together.
There is so much to learn out there in the world.
Postscript (and this is also true)…
Moments later, Molly returned to the trail, picked up a mouthful of horse poop and got yelled at.
I’m a dog. I love life, and i have flaws. I’m perfect. Imperfect. Just. Like. You.
Wash your hands. Don’t panic. Walk in nature. Stick together.
What an incredible story about wise squirrels. Thank you Phil ! ! ! !