Final Essay

A Small Disturbance

On a crisp weekday morning, I decided to head to the gym before beginning my typical eight-hour shift at work. I had made it almost routine that summer to wake up just as the sun rose and engage in a quick method of physical activity. It was the last week of summer before school picked up, and I wanted to soak up all the free time I could.

As I opened my blinds that morning, I noticed the sky shine with a baby blue hue as the clouds were scattered across the unending canvas. The grass on my front lawn had been freshly mowed, and I could smell the sweet aroma as soon as I opened my front door. The morning brought about feelings of euphoria that could not be deterred. I walked toward my car and noticed a few squirrels scurrying around outside near the live oak tree in my front lawn. I began to admire the playfulness of these creatures.

I watched the animals diligently, studying their mannerisms. Some might quickly dismiss the actions of squirrels, arguing that they are too irregular to have any substantial meaning. But for some reason, in that instant, I could ascertain their individual personalities. One squirrel demonstrated an exploratory attitude, constantly bouncing back and forth between the towering tree and the verdant grass. I thought he must be searching for something specific that he could not locate, which might explain the random movements. He flagged his tail in the air, signaling a period of frustration given his current situation. Another squirrel showcased a more reserved temperament, simply remaining idle underneath the tree on all fours. In all, I noticed four squirrels just beneath the live oak tree, all with different personalities. Each squirrel displayed a unique set of traits that varied from the rest of the group.

Some might say that my observations of these squirrels are too anthropomorphic and that these animals are lacking any significant level of intelligence. However, the emotions of each squirrel in the group were too striking to go unnoticed. I saw into each of their tiny black eyes, and there was something more there than just an awareness level that many categorize as oblivious.  

After arriving at the gym, I jumped out of my car and the scorching Texas air hit my face like a slap on the cheek. I began walking towards the facility when I noticed something small and fury lying flat on the road. As I looked closer, I realized it was one of the same animals that I had been intently observing earlier. Except this squirrel was not a normal squirrel like the ones I saw. It had been run over time and time again from the many cars that pass through the street on a daily basis. The squirrel resembled that of a pancake, its body lying lifeless on the road. One of its black and obsolete eyes pointed toward the sky, the other faced the nondescript pavement. Its tail, which must have been once so lively and fluffy, now showed no signs of movement. I visually pictured the squirrels I saw earlier in the day and considered how quickly life can change. In the sheer blink of an eye, a squirrel’s life ended in a violent instant.

My curious eyes wandered around the campus, trying to see if anyone else noticed the body of this poor squirrel. I tried several times to walk away, but each time my eyes focused back on the compelling scene. For some reason, this tragedy stood out to me more than any other time when I have noticed a dead animal. The only way for me to discern the significance of this event was due to the timeframe in which it occurred. The disparities in images of squirrels from that day were the only logical explanation as to why I even noticed the expired squirrel on the dark concrete. From cheery and bright, to quiet and motionless. The two opposing encounters were too meaningful to be disregarded.

Some believe the separation between humans and animals is monumental. Others believe the differences are minimal. Prior to this day, I would fall into the latter category. I was someone who saw wild animals as undomesticated creatures that live separately from humans for justifiable reasons. On this day, and from this experience, I began to realize the need for humans to incorporate animals into our respective communities. Now, this does not mean humans and animals will always live symbiotically with one another. But it does allow for the appreciation of animals in their natural environments, allowing them to live equally as opposed to inferior to humans. 

With that being said, the idea of wilderness is merely a fabricated term created by modern civilization. To our ancestors, wilderness has no substantial meaning. The distinctions between humans and animals were created by society to draw the line between acceptable and unacceptable behavior. To the squirrel, its behavior seems proper and adequate for the daily activities it must conduct. To us as humans, this behavior seems inconsistent, and sometimes downright stupid. But the only real concept separating humans and animals are the perceptions we have of the other.

Perhaps we are no more domesticated than that of a squirrel. The only real distinction that differs a human from that of an animal is the idea of self-reflection. The capability of self-reflection, or having a conscious for that matter, is rather a byproduct of intelligence, as opposed to a requirement of intelligence. For example, I would categorize a plant as an intelligent specimen. Although it does not have a conscious, it can still use various skills required for survival. Plants must find energy, reproduce, and avoid predators. All three characteristics are solutions to problems that the plant is faced with, which coincides with its intelligence. With that being said, who is to say that squirrels are not capable of self-reflection as a result of their active brains? These animals have been known to display problem-solving skills and various signs of intelligence, so is the ability of self-reflection really too far-fetched to be attributable to a squirrel? If not, then the line between humans and animals should become even more blurred.

Research has shown that animals, including all mammals and birds, along with many other creatures, all possess the neurological substrates needed for consciousness. So, if I were to attribute human-like consciousnesses to all animals, with the ability to display outright emotions, it would be virtually impossible to separate them into distinct categories. Based on this, there should be no reason that humans still view animals as lesser than creatures on this earth. Humans and animals are the only two movable inhabitants of our beautiful planet, and there is no shortage of room to share.

This was the first time in my life that I stopped to consider the implications that our actions as humans have on the environment. The squirrel would not have died if not for the careless driving of a Fort Worth resident, or perhaps the adventurous personality of the creature led to its own death. Either way, the squirrel was gone. I looked back and considered the varying images of squirrels that I had seen throughout the day. At one point, these creatures were jittery and adorable, and minutes later the animal was gone. The contrasting experiences that day allowed me to appreciate the unpredictable nature of the world we live in. A world in which every day should be taken as its own. Humans and animals alike never know what is around the corner, which contributes to the heedless nature of our environment. The only assured event that all living creatures can count on is death, which creates some alarmingly similar parallels between species.

Finally, I realized that although bad events happen, time continues on. Although this small disturbance impacted my entire outlook on animals, I could not let it impact the events I had planned for the rest of the day. I had to keep moving forward because time never stops. There will always be a morning sunrise, an evening sunset, and each day will bring about new adventures and experiences to learn from. 

Notes from the Author:

For reasons of comparison, I wanted to include my first Nature Journal to show the growth and development I have undergone this semester. Before, I was not knowledgeable enough on the issue of animal rights and the similarities between humans and animals to be able to critic it, although the squirrel experience did have a significant impact on me. From this class, I now have the tools needed to form thoughtful responses to the experience I had that day, and truly make an impact on the environment.

Nature Journal #1: September 3^rd, 2019:

On a crisp weekday morning, I decided to head to the gym before beginning my typical eight-hour shift at work. It was the last week of summer before school started, and I wanted to soak up all the free time I could get my hands on.

It was a perfect morning to engage in a quick workout. The sky shone with a baby blue color with not a single cloud in the sky. The grass of my front lawn had been freshly mowed, and I could smell the sweet aroma as soon as I opened my front door. I walked toward my car and noticed a few squirrels scurrying around outside. I began to admire the playfulness of these creatures.

After arriving at the gym, I jumped out of my car and the scorching Texas air hit my face like a slap on the cheek. I began walking towards the gym when I noticed something small and fury lying flat on the road. As I looked closer, I realized it was one of the many squirrels that I see roaming around campus at TCU. Except this squirrel was not a normal squirrel. It had been run over time and time again from the many cars that pass through the street on a daily basis. The squirrel resembled that of a pancake, its body lying lifeless on the road. One of its black and obsolete eyes pointed toward the sky, the other faced the gray pavement. I visually pictured the squirrels I saw earlier in the day and considered how quickly life can change. In the sheer blink of an eye, a squirrel’s life was drastically altered.

My curious eyes wandered around the campus, trying to see if anyone else noticed the body of this poor squirrel. I tried several times to walk away, but each time my eyes focused back on the compelling scene. The fur from the squirrel had been torn off like a pair of distressed jeans. The animal reeked of a potent odor resembling a combination of awful chemicals, specifically methane. After analyzing the squirrel for nearly five minutes, I decided it was time to continue about my day.

This was the first time in my life that I stopped to consider the implications that our actions as humans have on the environment. The squirrel would not have met its inevitable demise if not for the careless driving of a Fort Worth resident, or perhaps the stupidity of the creature led to its own death. Either way, the squirrel was gone. I looked back and considered the varying images of squirrels that I had seen throughout the day. At one point, these creatures were jittery and adorable, and minutes later the animal turned into deceased wildlife. 

The contrasting experiences I had with squirrels during that day allowed me to appreciate the unpredictable nature of the world we live in. A world in which every day should be taken as its own. I learned that although bad events happen, time continues on. There will always be a morning sunrise, an evening sunset, and each day will bring about new adventures and experiences to learn from.