Ruby Loves Adventure

 We were driving home today from a day out at the outlets. We just dropped off our friend who now lives in our previous apartment, and I saw three rabbits peeking out near the sidewalk, eating or just genuinely staring at the road. I've seen these rabbits before in almost the exact same spot, and almost the same time. I knew deep in my heart that they were grazing, and that it was their supper time, so to speak.

My heart broke when I realized that most of their previous shaded and tree lined space is now going to be commercial property. How did I know that? Well, because of the rezoning signs.

I'm wondering - where will these rabbits go when these developers come in with their bulldozers and other construction vehicles? Do animal protection people sweep the land first, saving all the animals that used to live there before deeming it okay for the developers to start building? Do these said developers even care?

I remember I had a huge fit of joy when I first saw rabbits in the "wild" in the forested area beside my old apartment as I walked home from work. It was during my first week in America. Coming from Manila, it was such a great thing for me to see nature this close. To see these many trees. Only to realize nearly two years later that those trees and that land will make way to another building, or another condo, or another rental property.



What do people think of when they see roadkill on the streets? Or when they see that a previously forested area becomes nothing but bare land, or worse, buildings? Do they become happy that such a development means that everything is going well, the economy is good? Do they think it will become another shopping mall that will be close to their home or work that they can hit right to buy a thing or two?

We have become too consumer minded. We have become too excessive. We have decided we wanted too much. Too much land, too much development, too much stuff. We are taking more from mother nature and the animals are hurting for it. One of the last handful of white rhinos died recently, people hunting animals for sport, or just for fun. It's just too much. It's all hurting. We see it all on Facebook and start sharing them, but then what do we do? Nothing. We continue to consume more than what we need, and we just sit here and read the news again.




There's people who love animals as a whole, those who love only domesticated animals, those that hate them, and those that just don't care. Whatever type of person you are, please know that we are an ecosystem, we all depend on each other. If we exploit other species, think about what will happen to us.

Think of it as if animals and nature were other people too. How would you feel if someone else exploited you? Pushed you out of your home to make way for buildings and other residential property? If people started hunting you for sport because you are pretty, you are a prized trophy for them? Wouldn't you feel insulted, and would demand for a lawsuit?

I wish animals can do the same too, but they can't. Don't think they don't have any feelings or a brain. Because they do. Sure the are not as advanced as us, but they're alive, they're breathing, and killing them is like murdering them.