Tuesday, July 8

A Trip to the Zoo


My sister has always avoided zoos, and for good reason.  She can't stand to see these wild and beautiful creatures live their lives in the confines of gates, walls, and windows.  I never really minded it I guess.  I always thought it was nice to see the world up close and personal without having to travel too far.  

Their surroundings look real to us...maybe even to them.  I am sure that the crowds of people at some point become common place.  I suppose that they get used to being fed every day at a certain time, that they do not even mind not having to go on a hunt to capture what they need in order to survive.

Today I walked through the Nashville zoo.  I have been to so many zoos across America.  This one is just about the same. Although I have never seen a bamboo forest and was pleasantly surprised at its beauty.  But as I walked I began to look into the eyes of some of these animals...some were quite close to where we stood.  The monkeys looked contented and happy to be where they were swinging from tree to tree.  The meerkats were concerned with each other and curious enough I think to enjoy the groups of people who would come up to their exhibit.  But there were a few animals that stood still and looked right at you.  They had some kind of question in their eyes I thought.  And the question that came to my mind was, "Is there more?"

Imagine living in the limelight of other people's attention every day.  Imagine having all your basic needs met without having to lift a finger.  Imagine a door from another world opens at certain times exposing the fact that the grass could be greener on the other side.  Would it lead to satisfaction and contentment?  Would an adventuresome sort of spirit ever rise up from somewhere deep inside?  Do animals have an instinct to set out into the great unknown?  Or did I let my own desire for breaking out have an impact on how I viewed these creatures?

I enjoyed seeing animals today.  But I could not get the question out of my mind.  And I wanted to tell them, "Yes, there's more".  But then what?  How could one calmly live in a zoo, knowing that freedom was just beyond those doors?

And I wonder how many humans live in this sort of conundrum day in and day out.  Knowing there is more...hoping there is more...but unable to find a way out.  On the other hand, I wonder how many people live without knowing that there is freedom beyond the surroundings that they live in?

Well, that was my trip to the zoo today.  Could be I was out in the sun for way too long. :)  But these are thoughts that ran through my head.

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