Harmony with nature

Lately "Give Wild Life a Chance" is becoming a famous slogan. I understand the slogan is employed in a good sense and in a motive to save the wild animals from extinction. Many a species have become part of our history and many species are on their way to it, supposing we do not act to save them. All these said, what makes me furious is my contemplation that who are we to GIVE a chance to the wild life?  Is not this beautiful planet Earth, home to all the species? Every species whether big or small has its right to live on this planet. Earth is the home for all life, be it animals, plants or human. We, humans, having one sense more than the other species, used that 'one special sense' in a more self-seeking manner. In our process of exploration, expansion, development - whatever we name it, all we did was to intrude into the very nature! We hunted animals, felled trees and did what all we can do to destroy the nature without ever thinking of balance. I wonder if those animals are wild at all, if they had been wild, they would have had their space to themselves. Are we wilder than the wild animals that we barbarously led many species to extinction? A Lion known to be wild doesn't bother to hurt another animal when its full and not hungry. We humans never feel full, never feel satisfied. In our thirst for more and more, we stopped thinking of balance in nature! We move into every corner of the Earth and then say animals are intruding into our space, and then we act to destroy them, in the name of self-protection! And out of the blue, today we talk about 'giving' animals a chance! Let us stop intruding into the nature too much! Let us learn to live a life which imparts balance in the nature! Let us stop cutting trees to expand our space and on the other hand displaying slogans like, "give wild animals a chance"! Instead let us plant trees, be more sensible to our environment not taking natural resources for granted. I feel it will be more prompt to say, "Live in harmony with the nature!". Be comfortable, appreciate nature and live in harmony! Its never too late!

Walk to School

There are some remote areas in the world where kids HAVE TO walk miles to school. And there are some places where kids HAVE TO be encouraged to walk to school! Coming to the point, in my son's school they have walk to school days, may be three or four days in a year. Kids are so happy to walk to school that day. Those living far from school park their vehicles somewhere near and then walk to school, even if that's just 50 feet!!! They get a sticker and some small gift like a pencil, bookmark etc. Its every kid's curiosity and enthusiasm to see which class wins in each grade, by having the most number of kids that walked to school. Kids come with pedometers to see the number of steps they've taken. Well, what made me post this here today is a small twist to the event. Four schools are competing today and the school which wins will win a golden sneaker award. And the highlight is the principals of the losing schools are going to wear the winning school's T-shirt for a day!!!! And my God, you should see the spirit of the kids. They were talking about walking to school and making their school win so that the other schools' principals wear their school's t-shirt. And today it was amazing to see more kids walking to school than the other walk to school days! There were only a handful of cars in the car pool!! I was eagerly waiting to know the result!!!
And my son's class had a tie with another class in his grade. He is talking about having another competition to break the tie. He is so very excited! And he says, today another school won by a small margin, but his school will catch up next time!! Kudos for the spirit!! 

Day after a storm

The clouds had roared and poured
Until the day dawned;
The woods look calm and content
Diffusing pine fragrance so pleasant;
Tiny a snail gliding very leisurely
Way behind a blackworm so wiggly;
Blue Jays and sparrows singing merrily
Nature delights when observed closely!