Wild Animal

My brother invited my husband and me over the other day to watch a couple of movies. I took a break a few minutes into the second one and went for a walk down the lane he shares with my parents, the one I have walked down many times over the course of my life. It was a brisk spring afternoon and his dog, Mitsy, decided to join me.

We were almost all the way back to where the two driveways split apart, down by the last swamp, when all of a sudden, I heard this blood curdling – sound – that I could hardly describe, but it stopped me in my tracks and made the hair on my neck stand up. I turned in the direction of the sound, up on the hill behind me to see what made that sound, but all I saw was Mitsy high-tailing it home. Well, there was no way I was sticking around to see what animal it was. If the dog was afraid, so was I! The sound came again and again, and I was off and running.

I'm not a big runner, well, not a runner at all, but I was that afternoon! That was the fastest 500 m dash I'd ever run, probably in my life. I ran towards my parents' house instead of my brother's since it was closer. I was pretty sure if the animal was going to take chase, I would never make it all the way to my brother's. Even then, I couldn't run the whole way. I had to slow down to a speed walk to catch my breath. I did manage to make it to the house in one piece – and I never did see the animal.

At first, I assumed it was a coyote, since that's the most common wild animal that would theoretically scream at a dog. But it was so loud and so unlike any coyote howl I had ever heard, I thought maybe it was a rabid coyote. Later, when I told my story, my parents suggested a wolf, or bobcat, or cougar, all of which have been known to frequent the area. Regardless, I was glad to be close to safety and still alive.

But then I had to make my way back to my brother's. There was no way I was going back down the road towards the wild animal. My other option was to head through the bush, which was shorter, but also more hazardous for running should the animal come after me there, and also closer to other potential wild animals. I was pleased the dog came back for me. Maybe it was not too dangerous anymore.

Long story short, I made it back in one piece. Caught a cold from inhaling so much cold air with such heavy breathing. Was kind of one edge every time the dogs barked for the rest of the evening.

What I learned from my little episode is that:

1. I'm quite out of shape. My doctor had suggested that I might want to engage in more vigorous exercise than walking to remedy constant low-grade fatigue; her suggestion might be helpful for a variety of things, including escaping danger!

2. Even if I had been in better shape, my best efforts would have been insufficient for the task of saving myself if I had indeed been chased by a wolf or cougar.

3. I had little control over the situation. Sure, I maybe contributed by walking unsuspectingly past a wild animal who didn't want me there. Sure, my speed, or lack thereof, could have had an affect on the outcome had there really been a wild animal after me. But essentially, it wasn't through my efforts that I happened to come out unscathed, nor would it have been my fault if I had been attacked.

When bad things happen, or we manage to avoid bad things happening, we either want to blame something or someone, or perhaps take credit for side-stepping disaster. I don't think it's as easy as that. Sometimes bad things happen; sometimes they don't. Sometimes we are prepared for a crisis; sometimes our very best efforts are not enough to avert a tragedy. This is the world we live in: “[God] causes his sun to shine on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matt. 5:45). Our job as humans is to help each other, to do what we can to alleviate inevitable pain, to do what we can to lighten each others' loads.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved,

clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Bear with each other and forgive one another

if any of you has a grievance against someone.

Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

And over all these virtues put on love,

which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Colossians 3:12 - 14