Be the Squirrel

            A commotion just outside the window caught my eye.  I looked up to see Roger the Cat chasing a grey squirrel all over our deck in a mad ricochet of fur.  The rodent dashed along the railings, up the post and along the trellis, with Roger in close pursuit.  Suddenly the fluffy-tailed squirrel stopped and turned to face the cat.  Dumbfounded, Roger stopped too.  (And I'm pretty sure I heard him mutter a swear word under his breath.)  For a few moments they stood there, eye to eye.  Then the squirrel looked around, planned and followed a safe route off of the deck.  Too stunned to continue the chase, Roger watched and eventually made a half-hearted attempt to follow.

            What had just happened?  This was a lesson my dog has had to learn over and over (so I guess she hasn’t quite mastered it yet) – that You Can’t Chase What Won’t Run Away.  Our Riley-dog has nursed a scratched, bleeding nose on more than one occasion as a result of over-estimating the fear she can instill in a neighborhood cat.  With a hiss and a yelp, the chase is over before it ever begins.  A large buck sporting large antlers delivered more serious injuries to our mutt when he refused to be intimidated by her bark-ful and speedy pursuit.

            We humans should take note.  Of course the massive buck was not taking a risk by standing his ground, but what about the smaller animals?  What business does a five pound cat have standing up to a 70 pound dog?  Is it plain stupidity, or bravery and good judgment?  I’d like to advocate for the latter.  Bear with me on this segue, please.

            Recently a friend posted a cautionary tale about a sexual predator hiding in a women’s bathroom stall in a shopping mall.  Totally creepy and possibly quite dangerous.  The moral of the story was to always accompany your young children into public bathrooms.  Good advice, we can all agree.  But it got me to thinking about my own kids who are teenagers and no longer willing to hold mommy’s hand.  In fact, this is the age when we push them out into the world and hope they use good judgment.  What if I can’t be there?  What if there’s a creep in the bushes on their way to school?  What if…what if…what if??  Watch the evening news just once and your mind will be over-flowing with terrifying “What if?” scenarios to keep you up all night with worry.  Nobody will benefit from that.

            It’s time to teach my teenage children to Be the Squirrel.  Take control of their safety and not live in fear.  In reference to the public bathroom scenario, I always think of the lesson my running partner, Carol, taught me.  As a runner you are out at strange times of the day, often in secluded areas.  Once in a while there is a need to stop at a park bathroom, when nobody seems to be around.  Carol’s tactic is to storm into the building, pushing the door hard so it hits the wall with a “thud” and belt out a loud, deep man-cough.  Next look under doors for occupancy, and swing each door wide open with force to expose any hiding creeps.  If there was any shady character sitting in wait, he’d likely dash out the door with his tail between his legs, and he certainly wouldn't see you as an easy target.  Carol is channeling the Squirrel.  She is showing the world that she is strong, competent and not to be messed with.

            I want each of my daughters to live a life full of adventure.  Of course their safety is of utmost importance, but I don’t want them to be constantly looking over their shoulders in fear or feel haunted by endless What ifs.  My hope is that they will face their fears with confidence, take control of their lives and Be the Squirrel!