I was thinking this morning, driving home from church, that if I turned up the air conditioning in the car and listened to some Christmas music, I might just be able to convince myself that it was cold out, that it was winter.
Living in Florida means adjusting to the weather, not just the occasional hurricane or the daily afternoon thunderstorms that turn a blistering summer day into a steam bath, but these odd days of December when all of nature occupies a state of both death and life, when flowers still bloom and plants bear fruit, but the smell of decomposing leaves and wet pine tell a different story completely.
I had stopped this morning in the area in front of the praise band window to take a picture of a plant with wet leaves and red and orange berries when I heard what I thought was buzzing. I looked for the source, expecting a bee, but saw whole low hanging branches moving and that was when I noticed the rabbit enjoying breakfast among the young trees.
Once again chewing with his mouth open.
I know about the "circle of life" in nature. I know that in order for something else to live, this rabbit will probably have to die.
But that doesn't stop me from breathing a sigh of relief every time I see a rabbit. I don't worry about the birds or the butterflies, but I worry for the rabbits. Maybe a part of me still remembers watching "Watership Down" as a child.
When I see a rabbit, no matter how gray the day, no matter what season, I am relieved.
Because for one more day, life has won.
Living in Florida means adjusting to the weather, not just the occasional hurricane or the daily afternoon thunderstorms that turn a blistering summer day into a steam bath, but these odd days of December when all of nature occupies a state of both death and life, when flowers still bloom and plants bear fruit, but the smell of decomposing leaves and wet pine tell a different story completely.
I had stopped this morning in the area in front of the praise band window to take a picture of a plant with wet leaves and red and orange berries when I heard what I thought was buzzing. I looked for the source, expecting a bee, but saw whole low hanging branches moving and that was when I noticed the rabbit enjoying breakfast among the young trees.
Once again chewing with his mouth open.
I know about the "circle of life" in nature. I know that in order for something else to live, this rabbit will probably have to die.
But that doesn't stop me from breathing a sigh of relief every time I see a rabbit. I don't worry about the birds or the butterflies, but I worry for the rabbits. Maybe a part of me still remembers watching "Watership Down" as a child.
When I see a rabbit, no matter how gray the day, no matter what season, I am relieved.
Because for one more day, life has won.
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