
I am always filled with amazement whenever I watch nature and wildlife documentaries on TV. The majesty of huge trees in woods, the feline grace of a wild cat, the natural beauty of flowers and birds, the grandeur of high mountains and big rivers, the vastness of the oceans and the variety of marine life are all awe inspiring and humbling at the same time. They are worth traveling many a mile to catch a glimpse of. The next best thing of course is watching them in the comforts of the living room (Sorry, no TVs in my bedrooms ). As impressive as the sights are equally impressive is the passion, dedication, patience and effort put in by the crews working on the documentaries. It’s always a pleasure to appreciate the beauty of nature.
What do I feel guilty about? Me being me about a few things.
1) There is always a sense of sadness on seeing that flora and fauna alike are getting endangered alike due to increasing demands of human race. Forests appear to be making way for fields to grow food grains or for construction. Bodies of water are shrinking to accommodate human water needs.
2) While it’s thrilling to watch a wild cat hunting for its prey and that’s its natural instinct it’s sad to see any life getting lost. I still distinctly remember a wildlife documentary about Africa in which a pack of lions attack an elephant at night when elephants do not have good sight. During the day and when elephants are in a group the lions do not stand a chance. So, the lions gang up, isolate an elephant at night and attack from all sides.
3) With so many plants and animals thinning in numbers I wonder if we will be the last generation lucky enough to see tigers, elephants and other endangered plants and animals in person. Will posterity be content on watching how it used to be on video?
Wouldn’t it be great if humans and animals can communicate with each other in a language both can understand and speak? Humans could learn a few things from animals like being able to sense changes in weather and also learning to survive in extreme conditions without needing much. Animals could learn from humans to be more organized and harnessing natural resources for their needs. I wonder about what goes through the mind of animals that are in danger and running for their dear life. What is the thought process of all the small fish that get gobbled by bigger fish. There are insects with a life span of just a few hours. If God has created everything there has to be purpose for every living thing. Without a purpose it doesn’t make sense. I keep asking myself a basic question. What is the purpose of everything that has life? 🙏