Crocodile Tears
"And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair." - Kahlil Gibran
Most of us are afraid of touching garter snakes and cockroaches, and I'm every single day amazed at how many people are unable to tell whether a strange dog is friendly or not. We don't remember how to tell the weather without a meteorologist telling it to us - reading the wind and clouds and colour of the sky is mostly a lost art. Lost in the barrens, few of us know any longer how to find our way by the stars. I know people who are afraid to touch cats, and people who won't sit on the grass lest a bug walk on them.
I'm an environmentally-minded voter, and I'm embarrassed most of the time by my own lack of understanding of the great big world around us. I don't have tv so I never got Steve Irwin's show, but I did catch it three times, and always loved it, and him. His exuberant love - his passion - for our planet always touched me, and even, deep inside, reminded me of my embarrassing lack of knowledge about something I care about. I loved that guy - I loved how well he knew his own reflexes, and how well he knew the animals around him.
Here's a short, 40 second clip of the Crocodile Hunter weeping over the death of a crocodile. This was a man who loved his planet and all the living things in it. He was a giant in his way, and I'm truly sorry to see him go.
Most of us are afraid of touching garter snakes and cockroaches, and I'm every single day amazed at how many people are unable to tell whether a strange dog is friendly or not. We don't remember how to tell the weather without a meteorologist telling it to us - reading the wind and clouds and colour of the sky is mostly a lost art. Lost in the barrens, few of us know any longer how to find our way by the stars. I know people who are afraid to touch cats, and people who won't sit on the grass lest a bug walk on them.
I'm an environmentally-minded voter, and I'm embarrassed most of the time by my own lack of understanding of the great big world around us. I don't have tv so I never got Steve Irwin's show, but I did catch it three times, and always loved it, and him. His exuberant love - his passion - for our planet always touched me, and even, deep inside, reminded me of my embarrassing lack of knowledge about something I care about. I loved that guy - I loved how well he knew his own reflexes, and how well he knew the animals around him.
Here's a short, 40 second clip of the Crocodile Hunter weeping over the death of a crocodile. This was a man who loved his planet and all the living things in it. He was a giant in his way, and I'm truly sorry to see him go.
posted by Jacques Beau Vert at 3:36 PM
6 Comments:
Jason, I used to watch his show on discovery and animal planet. I was always amazed for the care and love he showed for all animals. I am scared of a lot of animals but I still used to watch his show because it was very informative and while it didn't decrease my fear of certain animals, it made me understand them.
The world lost a friend, no doubt of that... I feel badly for Terry, his wife. She has probably been expecting something like this for years.
Heh... don't hold back on Cherniak Jason... tell us how you really feel:)
The croc guy certainly was colorful. Crying over a croc? I thought I was nuts to get misty when my 4H calf went to the slaughter house.
I must admit that I got lost in your Cherniak comment when you talked about the 'ideals of the Liberal Party'. :)
Heh, the only problem is my blog entries aren't nearly as interesting as my better comments... maybe one day I'll figure it all out.
Brian, I felt better about my crying jags over animals watching that clip myself.
Joanne, you'll be amazed one day at how eager most urban animals are to be liked by you.
yes jason but dogs, big scary one like pitbulls and bulldogs do love to hate me. I have been chased by one.
Now I can never grow to love rats,cockroaches, spiders or cats.
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