Lessons from a Mouse

On my hike yesterday, there was a tiny footprint left by a rodent of some sort, no bigger than my thumbnail.  I thought to myself how brave a little creature has to be out here when everything is your predator - snakes, hawks, coyotes, owls.  Do they even know all the things out to get them?  Do they just sense danger when it’s close and otherwise live their life freely?  Are they aware they are prey to so many, yet still choose to get up and enjoy their infinite playground to dig, hide, and chase their friends in?  I quickly came to the conclusion that the smallest things must have the biggest courage of all, whether they know it or not.  And then I thought about my fear of mice…me…a human - a hundred times bigger and an animal practically on top of the food chain.  How I worry about a mouse getting into my engine and the length I will go to avoid one.  Nature always finds some way to protect her most vulnerable creatures.  Perhaps they have more strength than they’re even aware of.  And if that’s the case for a mouse, maybe I do, too.

Freedom is the humility and courage of a mouse.