Thursday, November 17, 2011

2011 Giving Thanks Challenge~Wild Turkeys




This is my third year to participate in the 2011 Giving Thanks Challenge. It is graciously hosted by Leah at http://leah%20at%20south%20breeze%20farm/. It's a good time to set my priorities in order and to give thanks for things in my life. I always feel renewed and refreshed after reading the other post. I come away more grateful and less selfish, less self-involved. I thank Leah for reminding us what is important in our daily lives.

I don't know if any of you watch PBS, in particular, a story on wild turkeys? I love PBS and I enjoy watching Nature. View the story here... http://nature~%20wild%20turkeys/ http://http//www.org/wnet/nature/episodes/my-life-as-a-turkey/introduction/7268/ This naturalist raised wild turkey from eggs. He became a turkey parent to these little hatchling. He viewed the World through the eyes of a turkey. I know, I can hear you saying "What in the World are you talking about?"

My husband and I enjoy nature and especially PBS. Excited to share, I ran into the other room to tell him about this show. Not sure if he would watch it, at least I told him about it. It's funny how things affect me differently from him. Sure the story sounded sort of corny, but it touched my heart. Hubs reaction was different from mine. I quizzed him about the show to see if he watched it. He likes to give me grief about my emotions sometimes. Of course, he is just as emotional as I am. The show reminded me about the time we raised mocking bird babies, and the time we raised orphaned squirrels.

While the show was most enjoyable, what I came away from this show was how important it is to live in the present. An animal that has to live in the wild without protection and has predators, instinctively knows how to live in the moment. In fact, that is all that really matters. Interesting point. A wild turkey doesn't live in the past nor the future. It survives in the moment.

Living from the perspective of a wild turkey opened this man's eye to a view that one rarely catches. Walking in the Florida woods with the turkeys, he became one with nature. The author states that he rarely saw snakes or other wild animals before his walk with nature. Maybe it was his awareness or lack there of, or perhaps, traveling with the wild turkeys opened his eyes. Other animals had no fear of the birds or the man. It was fun to see the joyful interaction between between squirrels and fawns and these big birds. Nature always teaches things, a hightened sense of alert for dangereous creatures like snakes and a predatory hunt for grasshoppers and crickets.

Any way the point I am trying to make is this...is there something we could learn from animals? I think it's obvious. Wild animals don't bother other creatures. They co-exist with one another. While they do interact, they don't go out of their way to harm others. Everything has a reason, an order, a purpose. I imagine a World where there is more tolerence in the human race.

We could learn a valuable lesson in life. Live outside of yourself. Don't worry about the past or the future. Be ever present in the moment.





8 comments:

Gail said...

HI PAM - I love your post and reminder that we are all here together and we all must co-exist. We live simply, humbly, graciously and respectfully of all of nature, life and freedoms. We have found over the years that "sharing" is the key to living in harmony. :-)
Happy Thanksgiving to you
Love Gail
peace.....

Sandee said...

The animal world is very different than ours. Survival of the fittest and there is that food chain thing. Many animals are predators. I marvel often when at our boat and watch the food chain. A bird waiting for the fish. The fish comes and then is a meal for the bird. The baby ducks that are food for the wide mouthed bass. And on and on.

I would have loved to seen this show however. Sounds very interesting.

Have a terrific day. Big hug. :)

Rudee said...

Hmmm. Sometimes I do believe I feel like prey in the wild. Depends which city I'm in.

I love seeing wild turkeys. We don't have any in the more urban areas, but my brother's country property is loaded with turkeys.

Sandi McBride said...

I love looking out my back yard and seeing the cats and the wild turkeys wandering around like they have good sense! We have all our lands posted with signs that read "hunters are not welcome unless armed with cameras and treats no guns allowed"
hugs
Sandi

larkswing said...

I like that! I like it when a show can remind us and inspire us to see a life lesson so important. Slow down. In the moment. Harmony. Thanks for the inspiration Pam! I hope you have a great day full of ah ha in the moment moments!

Sandi McBride said...

Just wanted to share my new blog address with you by way of this photo id...can't believe I'm doing this~!
Sandi

Nikki (Sarah) said...

HI Pam...tried and tried to leave you a comment. I hope this one goes through. I've seen and watched a couple of human wild turkeys but really the show sounds neat. The thing that really jumped out at me...your last couple of lines. I need to really live what you said. Hugs to you.

Ruth Cox aka abitosunshine said...

I watched this program the ohter night, too, and was captivated! And I cam away with some of the same thoughts about humanity and life lessons. It's a great show about parenting, too. And, of course, great film on imprinting. Joe Hutto was a wonderful mother to those turkeys.