IN RESPONSE TO THE ESOTERIC BANDICOOTS:
I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT AFTER SEVERAL PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS TO THE SWAMP PARK BEHIND OUR HOUSE, ALL UPSTANDING DOGS, (MOST OF THE) CATS, AND A SURPRISING AMOUNT OF UNDOMESTICATED WATERFOWL HAVE COME TOGETHER TO STAND STRONG AGAINST VACUUM CLEANERS, BROOMS AND ASSORTED INSTRUMENTS OF LAWN CARE.
BUT THOUGH WE OF THE VCDL ARE UNITED, MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY REMAIN DIVIDED.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE VCDL IS HEADQUARTERED IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, A LARGE PORTION OF WHICH IS CURRENTLY ON FIRE. THE SUN HAS BEEN HIDING IN A SKY FULL OF DIRT FOR SO LONG NOW IT IS BEGINNING TO FREAK PEOPLE OUT. SADLY, 500K ACRES OF FOREST FIRE IS NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM IN THE WORLD TODAY. WE DO NOT SUFFER ALONE.
SISTERS AND BROTHERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD ARE AT ODDS. THEY FIGHT FOR FAMILIES, FRIENDS, HOMES, LIVES AND COMMUNITIES. MANY ARE IN NEED. SOMETIMES THE AMOUNT OF NEED IS STAGGERING, FOR WE ARE ALL BURDENED. IT OVERWHELMS THE MIND AND DISHEARTENS THE SPIRIT TO KNOW THAT THERE IS NO GRAND SOLUTION TO END ALL THE HARM THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
FORTUNATELY FOR US, THIS WORLDVIEW IS FAULTY.
THERE CANNOT BE ONE GRAND SOLUTION BECAUSE LIFE IS NOT LIVED IN GRAND SWEEPING GESTURES. LIFE IS SMALL AND PERSONAL, LIVED MINUTE BY MINUTE. HUMBLE ACTS DONE ONE AT A TIME, BUILDING UP ON EACH OTHER TO CREATE THE FUTURE.
EVEN NUTSY, THE SQUIRREL THAT LIVES ACROSS THE FENCE, KNOWS THIS AS TRUE.
HE DOES NOT SET OUT TO PLANT A FOREST (ESPECIALLY NOT IN MY YARD.) HIS GOAL IS ONLY TO BURY A FEW ACORNS FOR THE WINTER.
THOUGH HIS GOAL IS SMALL, HE IS PERSISTENT. AND BY ACHIEVING HIS TINY GOAL ON A DAILY BASIS, THAT TWITCHY LITTLE VERMIN WILL PLANT A FOREST FULL OF TREES OVER THE COURSE OF HIS LIFE (AGAIN, NUTSY, I AM VERY SERIOUS ABOUT THIS NOT BEING IN MY YARD.)
I CANNOT BELIEVE I AM SAYING THIS BUT… WE COULD ALL TAKE A LESSON FROM NUTSY.
WE ARE ALIVE. WE ARE HERE. WE HAVE FUTURE TO CREATE. IT IS OUR TURN TO SOW ACORNS. TOMORROW MAY BE SOMEONE ELSE’S TURN, BUT TODAY? TODAY IS OURS.
AND WE WILL.
WE WILL DONATE THAT DOLLAR FOR HURRICANE RELIEF AT THE GROCERY STORE AND THEN WE WILL RETURN OUR CARTS.
WE WILL ASSUME BEST INTENTIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, EVEN THE ONES WITH WHOM WE DO NOT ALWAYS AGREE – SUCH AS THAT NEIGHBOR WITH THE FLUFFY ORANGE CAT, OR NUTSY.
WE WILL WALK AGAINST CHILDHOOD CANCER, ALS AND CROHN’S DISEASE AND SUPPORT OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO DO SO FOR THEIR CAUSES.
WE WILL GIVE WHAT WE CAN TO THE SPCA, ACLU, NAACP, AND SPLC, EVEN IF IT IS ONLY $5. HECK, WE MAY EVEN DONATE TO THE RED CROSS FOR THEY ARE VERY GOOD AT FIRST RESPONSE DISASTER RELIEF, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR CEO GETS PAID. AND ALSO, BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE WHO WORKS FOR DISASTER RELIEF IS AN EVIL TROLL. SOME PEOPLE REALLY JUST WANT TO HELP.
IT IS SAID THAT IN ORDER TO RUN THROUGH THE FIELD OF GLORY, ONE MUST FIRST GIVE UP THE TENNIS BALL OF COMPLACENCY.
WE WILL GIVE UP THAT TENNIS BALL.
AND THEN WE WILL CHASE THAT SUCKER DOWN AND CHEW IT UNTIL IT POPS.
WE CAN DO THIS.
LET’S GO.