While walking my friend’s dog this morning, I witnessed a crow eating the carcass of a squirrel across a busy street.
For some reason, seeing that stopped me in my tracks. I continued watching the crow as he pulled the squirrel’s intestines out of its small body. The crow kept looking for more food to eat.
The whole thing was unsettling. But I couldn’t look away.
Then I thought, ‘Am I supposed to do something?’
The squirrel is already dead—I can’t save it.
To cross the busy street would put me in unnecessary danger— I wouldn’t gain anything from stopping a hungry crow.
Yet, why did this experience bother me?
Why was seeing an animal feasting on another animal out of survival something that disrupted my peace?
Should I risk my life to save something that can’t be returned to its former state just because it bothered me?
Or should I just ignore it and continue walking my dog?
What do you think I did?
Well, I looked both ways before crossing the street and hurried over there to stop the hungry crow. He flew away. The carcass was unrecognizable. And I just continued my walk from there on.
I didn’t do anything other than just showing up across the street for the crow to run away, but he will likely return to finish his food once I leave.
Did I really change anything? Was there a need to do anything about it?
I don’t know. But I was too bothered to ignore it. And having disturbed the crow, even if for a brief moment, I feel a bit better.
My selfishness got in the way of nature, yet similar actions around the world happen every day.
I wonder how many people also feel bothered enough to do something about it.