Perspective

 Our lodge is  on the edge of civilization.  Within a couple hundred yards of millions of acres of public forest.  Living on the edge like this we find the lines can blur between "ours" and "theirs" as far as the wildlife goes.  "Ours" is inside the lodge,  "theirs" is EVERYTHING ELSE.

Usually the trespassers are pretty small.  Chipmunks, golden mantled ground squirrels,  chickerees and the like.  Sophie the Lodge Dog gets surprisingly fierce when they make it into her home, and will tear up the joint trying to destroy the intruder.  On one occasion as I was putting the place back together, I asked her "What's with the fuss, dog?  It's just a cute, little chipmunk!"  Sophie looked at me earnestly and replied-

"Damn rat."

Well, I guess that depends on your point of view.  

Late last week I was using a shop-vac on the wood floors getting ready for the weekend's group, when I bumped the log wall.  Out of a crack in a log jumped a tiny spider, maybe a quarter of an inch across.  He faced me in a fierce pose, spider rampant.

                                  His point of view.

I paused in my cleaning and considered the little guy. I believe all animals on our world have a purpose and a destiny.


This guys purpose might have been a simple as ridding his little part of the world of dust mites and other small critters.  Or it may have been to show me what true bravery looks like, defiantly facing the enemy against overwhelming odds.

                                  My point of view.

His destiny was a little easier to foresee.  He was destined to get squooshed and sucked up in a shop-vac.

Damn bug.

Bill