On a misty Monday morning, I circled, then exited a roundabout at the entrance to a local highway. I saw a lifeless black cat splayed in the median, a victim of poor visibility and heavy traffic. I wondered if it suffered and felt sorrow for the people who loved it. There have been many dead barn kitties or pets sprawled on the side of country roads over the years and this, I thought, was another. I returned home the same way and looked for the dead cat. It was no longer in the median and was now at the side of the road and it was no longer a dead cat but actually a black hoodie sweatshirt. Things are not always what they seem.
The presumption I’d made about the clumpy black mass was based on what I already knew to be true, animals frequently do lose their lives while crossing the road. I’d seen it dozens of times. A second, more careful look proved I was wrong. Added to the fact there were no barns or homes anywhere near this commercial area, the chances of a pet or farm cat finding their way into the roundabout were slim. Logical reasoning takes time and intention.
This story has me thinking about how I observe the world and the ways in which I take in information. (Old people, the kids would love it if we’d stop listening to pundits and remember how to think for ourselves.) How much time do I take to think about what I see and hear? Naturally, my own biases factor into my perceptions. Self-awareness is very useful in this regard.
I notice hate has found an audience and some people struggle to see others as human. Yet, I find reassurance in those I’ve trusted for years who regularly express empathy and show me they can still mull over competing ideas, which to me, suggests agency. I listen to the way people speak about freedom and whether their language includes consideration of every living and non-living thing. I think it's time to take a closer look at what is real. The only way to do that is to look again. It is very noisy out there. A walk in the woods would probably help.
Copyright (2023) Suzanne Bayer. All Rights Reserved