One day my oldest son told us that he really enjoyed being home. “Because it’s my natural habitat.” I love that kid. He’s an old soul. It was a funny comment, but it was a little more than that to me.
When was the last time you were at the zoo? The zoo is a weird experience. On the one hand, it is really cool to see all of those animals. Rhinos, elephants, giraffes, lions. On the other hand, is it just me, or do those animals look depressed? I swear that the last time I was at the zoo, the elephant was muttering under his breath that he would give anything to be chased by a pride of lions. Likewise, when I visited the lion enclosure, if you listened closely, you could hear him talking to himself about eating the toddler who wouldn’t stop banging on the glass. Those animals really don’t belong there and I feel kind of bad for them. Of course, there are exceptions. When I visit the monkey house, I get the distinct impression that they think we are the ones in the zoo. And the reptile house? Well, there’s a reason that Lucifer took the form of a snake.
People have natural habitats too. We all have places where we feel comfortable. Kanye West’s natural habitat is obviously the stage at an awards show. No matter who is getting the award. Jeb Bush’s natural habitat is 8th place in the Republican primary. Eskimos belong in cold weather. George Clooney’s natural habitat is in movies that tank at the box office. If you like to travel, I’m sure that there has been a time that you have visited a certain location and it just felt like home. It’s hard to explain why. I would like to suggest that when you get that feeling, it is because you have just encountered your natural habitat. That happened to me, and I have been trying to get back there for some time now. A lot of people are lucky enough to live in their natural habitats. The rest of us are like this sloth.
Image from the Ecuador Transit Authority
The poor little guy had wandered onto the highway. When he realized that he was in over his head he said, “Oh crap, I’m gonna find the thing that looks most like a tree trunk and hold on for dear life.” I saw these pictures over the weekend and I was immediately struck by the similarities between us. First of all, we are both adorable. Second, at times, we both feel out of our natural habitat. When those times arise, we both grab on to something that makes us feel better. He grabs on to a guard rail and hangs on for all he’s worth. I put on my flip flops and get in my hammock. Luckily for the sloth, the police were there to help him back to safety. Luckily for me, I have three people and a dog, and in the end, my natural habitat is wherever they are. (Great, now the dog is going to get a big head because I included him in the pack.)
Longwalkabout will now be returning to it’s pre-holiday schedule of posting on Thursdays and Sundays.
New things coming this spring.
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