Next door, my neighbor feeds birds. She does not intend to but she also feeds squirrels. They hang upside down every morning eating from her “squirrel proof” feeder. She rants and raves but nothing seems to help her problem.
She does try many kinds of homemade solutions. She greases the pole but the squirrel still just finds another way. Sometimes jumping from a nearby limb instead of climbing the pole. It reminds me of humans trying different ways of climbing mountain tops or even advancing in their workplace.
Another solution is to raise the pole higher but this only makes the squirrel’s drop from a nearby limb easier. The squirrels race along the fence to enter my yard and dig deep holes in the mulch or sod to bury their acorns. Again, I think of people burying their heads in the sand instead of looking out for others. Or amassing fortunes to be used later.
The squirrels also can take the easy way out and just eat the cherries in my tree or the strawberries before I can pick them. Again, man comes to mind. Just take the easy way out and not plan for tomorrow.
As fall approaches, I see the squirrels scurrying around carrying acorns from under my tree to nearby holes in other trees. They are planning for the winter just as humans plan for tomorrow.
I laugh as I see the squirrel hanging upside down from her bird feeder. But I know that God’s eye is on the sparrow and he is probably watching those squirrels. Which means his eye is also on me and you and just as I enjoy and laugh at the squirrels, he is probably watching you and me and I can only hope he is laughing not crying at what you and I are doing today and tomorrow. We all have this in common, God is watching us.
Carolyn Olsen
(photo shared by Donna Gustafson)
