A rabbit quietly sits near my RV ... Photo by Pat Bean
“Forever is composed of nows.” Emily Dickinson
White-tailed deer ... Photo by Pat Bean
Animal life here at Farragut State Park goes about its daily passage of time in view of My RV window. I watch a constant stream of rabbits hopping among the shadows of the trees, noisy squirrels chattering as they scamper on the branches above, mourning doves and dark-eyed juncos picking at the bird seed I scattered, colorful butterflies flitting by, a black-chinned hummingbird drinking from my small nectar feeder, and an occasional deer sauntering through the woods.
My heart welcomes such sights and I ask myself why these simple animals give me so much pleasure. I pondered this for a long time before deciding there was no simple answer.
Their lives speak of freedom to me, yet I know these animals have things to fear: Raptors and coyotes ever looking for a meal, hunters with guns, and even Mother Nature herself when she decides to stage a stormy tantrum.
The alarm call of chickadees when a sharp-shinned hawk is nearby, the fake injury performance of a killdeer to lead predators away from its chicks, the quick scampering away of rabbits at the slightest noise and the cautious look around before a deer abandons the safety of the forest tells me these animals are not unaware of the dangers.
Is this so different from the anxiety and stress humans have for finding a job, feeding their families, securing a roof over their heads, and for me these days, worrying about a loved one soon to be deployed to Afghanistan. Mother Nature even taunts us with hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and floods.
I guess life wasn’t meant to be easy. We probably wouldn’t appreciate it if it was.
A butterfly briefly settles ... Photo by at Bean
Watching animals live their life outside my window puts me in the moment. And perhaps this is the best reason of all of why I enjoy doing it so much. We can’t change what happened yesterday, and worrying about tomorrow is useless – unless we’re actually doing something to make tomorrow better, and the only way we can do that is to live in the moment.
The animals going about their daily business in sight of my RV window remind me of this. And for that I’m thankful.
Pat Bean's blog 
Good morning Pat. Lovely post..it’s quiet and soothing to read.
I read you have a relative deploying to Afghanistan. I try to post tributes to our military on my FB. I come from a long line of military, so they all have a special place in my heart.
Please drink in all the wonders you see, post them on your blog, so we can all enjoy them
Have a super day.
Pat