Last night Mike and I witnessed a spectacle of nature.  We were heading out at dusk, to mail a letter, enjoy the sunset, and check out the Stanley Park Open tennis tournament, which offers excellent tennis about half a block from our apartment.  Well, by the time we made it over to the courts, the matches were over for the day, and not much was left of the sunset either, but we felt our time had been very well spent.  For about half an hour we watched a mom and two baby skunks cavort, wrestle, play, practice mating, nuzzle, scuffle, hustle, and cuddle. We felt like we’d been part of a very special nature show, and that close up, real life, and just a few meters from where we live.  This is what they looked like,

and here’s a video that gives a pretty good feeling for what we saw.

In our case there was no feeding pan, they were just playing in the yard, wild, not tame.  The mom was seemingly grubbing in the grass, perhaps for bugs or such, but the kids put on a show that kept us in rapt attention.  They had their beautifully plumed tails up much of the time, which was alarming at first, as we thought from past experience that this meant the animals were alarmed, and might be ready to spray.  But as we waited and watched, at a distance of a few meters, we soon realized we were not in danger, and were entranced by the show.

Neither the little ones nor the mom paid us any heed, and we were able to enjoy the spectacle safely until the creatures moved on.  We kept looking at ourselves, and smiling at our good fortune.  We were joined a bit later by a Frenchman from the neighbourhood, and the three of us just gazed open mouthed.  It was a memorable moment indeed, one not to be forgotten.

Aren’t we fortunate to live on a planet together with such amazing creatures?  I would love to hear about your special experiences with animals, large or small, wild or tame, close or far.

Jill Schroder is the author of BECOMING: Journeying Toward Authenticity.  BECOMING is an invitation for self-reflection, and to mine our memorable moments for insights, meaning, and growth.  Check the website for a sample chapter, or see the reviews to get a flavor for the volume.  Your feedback is most welcome.

Share this: