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by Christine Maccabee
On The Wild Side
“Survival Time”
“It is easy to give up and it is hard to keep going
but at least we have a choice!”
~by Charles Bradley (musician)
There are so many issues and
problems in our faces every day
that it is nearly impossible for us to
navigate them all, either mentally,
physically, or spiritually. I say
“nearly” because, personally, I need
to know what is happening in the
world, and I believe most people
do as well. However, the clamor of
TV news and radio talk shows can
become oppressive after a while, so
I simply turn them off. Then, they go
back on in short order, so I can keep
up with problems related to Florence,
such as toxic waste in the water from
coal ash and hog farms; or the latest
problems in Syria, our own refugee
problems, the inner workings of our
government, etc. etc.
Survival is definitely different
things for different people. I am not
hungry, while others are starving. I
have a comfortable bed while others
are sleeping on hard concrete. I have
clean well water, while others have
no water at all, except if they are
lucky enough to have bottled water
from some charity. You get the gist.
Basically, most of us are spoiled
by our comfortable lifestyles; yet,
I believe everyone struggles with
something. Everyone has personal
problems they must deal with in
order to survive. Rich or poor—and
everyone in between—we all can
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can be seen buzzing and feeding on Now, however, it is more important
golden rod flowers. Then, my heart than ever to help others in this
fragile web of life to survive, be they
rejoices when I see a lone swallowtail
flying gracefully and gratefully from
many other entities in deep trouble.
flowers that I provide, flowers which human or bee or sea turtle or so
also survived the storm. As for It heartens me to read about efforts
people, well... being made to rid the oceans of
A friend of mine said that survival plastic, or people challenging the use
of people in difficult situations of toxic pesticides and herbicides,
or people eating lower on the food
mostly depends on others to reach
out to them, or to reach back when chain. Happily, I am allergic to pork
they reach out for help. This is a and beef.
mutual give-and-take that takes a The will to survive even our
lot of heart and courage. It takes own inventions, not all of which
courage to reach out and humility to are life giving, must remain strong.
receive. It takes courage to survive The north pole is melting, so what
together, but it takes heart to even are we going to do about it? Drive
count on something to happen to want to in the first place. less perhaps? Maybe there is not a
throw us off-kilter, and then we must I suppose I am a survivor for whole lot we as individuals can do
be strong or clever enough to survive sure. It has been a long, rocky life, to change the ways of the world, but
our capsizing boat. and even though my boat is still we can try by joining with others
I am a great admirer of creatures unsteady, I have friends—and even who also care. It is never too late to
other than human, and I am guilty angels—who come, and have come, reach out.
of worrying as much about them to my rescue. All of us have, I hope. It is survival time.
as I do people. I wonder how this
last hurricane Florence affected the Christine is a Wildlife Habitat Naturalist and Native Plant
populations of bees and butterflies Specialist, who is available for consultations. Write her at
and rivers, which are so vulnerable [email protected].
and yet so essential for the health
of Earth’s ecosystems. Fluctuations
in weather affect them as much as Send us your “best photo” of your “best buddy,” and your pet could be “Pet of the Month”
in a future issue of The Catoctin Banner! E-mail us your most adorable pet photo, along
humans, and yet all of us are resilient with your pet’s name and your name, your pet’s breed and age, and some fun personality
to varying degrees. A young child traits and characteristics about your “best buddy,” to: [email protected].
or a Veteran living through wartime
trauma may or may not overcome
it according to their own inner
resources or whether or not they get
help from others.
So, survival is variable, and messy.
I have seen bumble bees drowning
due to torrential rain, and I have
saved some. Then there are the larva
of certain butterflies rotting in their
pupae beneath cold, month-long
precipitation, which I cannot save.
I weep for children separated from
their parents at the border, and the
parents who will never recover due to
the loss of those children. Somehow,
however, life goes on. The sun comes
out and a few bees smart enough to
hide out during the onslaught of rain