Respect The Dead

Happy Halloween everyone. It’s the time of year when pumpkins are everywhere, we dress up as witches, ghosts and the dead and we enjoying scaring ourselves watching terrifying movies…or perhaps that’s just me! It is about the changing of seasons and the thinning of the veil between the living and the dead. Whether you believe it or not, it is a beautiful time in nature and a bit of fun too.

There have been a few moments in the past week when I have had an experience befitting to the time of year.

When I was leaving work last week, I walked through the car park and like the cars I go through a black gate. Sadly just before the gate was a dead rabbit. Someone must have knocked it down upon leaving the car park (I’m guessing someone was speeding as really it would be impossible to do if not at speed). Two crows were pecking at it and I was saddened by this. I know it is the circle of life and all, but jeez, wait till it’s dark.

I stood looking for a moment as the crows flew away, I knew I couldn’t do anything for it. However, one thing I could do was move it out of the way of any other cars. It wasn’t a mess, so I put my bag on the ground walked closer, scooped it up – poor thing was cold and gently placed it on the grass at the side. I told it I was sorry for the way it had died and to rest in peace.

Now I know it was dead and gone, but to me, I had a chance to allow that rabbit to not be driven over until it ultimately disappeared. It would have been terrible to see that on a daily basis, and just because it is a wild animal, doesn’t mean it deserves any less respect.

The following morning as I was walking to work, I came across a dead mouse. Looked like the work of a cat. It was a wet day and the poor thing was soaked. I automatically said ‘Bless You’ and Rest in peace to it. The mouse like the rabbit had disappeared the next time I passed, that’s nature I guess.

A few years back when I was getting the train to and from work, my train had been cancelled so I got the next train to the station before mine and walked home. It is a 25 minutes walk and most of it beside a main road with the other side being fields and bushes etc. When I was about halfway, I saw a bird lying on the ground, just a wee sparrow, I thought it was dead so kept walking after telling it I was sorry. However, I just passed it and it made a noise, so I turned around and realized that it was barely alive but it was breathing, Not wanting it to die alone or die on a pavement, I picked it up and held it in my hand.

I walked with it and sadly saw it take its last breath. In a way, I was glad it had a warm hand holding it when it passed and it wasn’t alone. Again I said rest in peace and found a lovely wee spot of long grass and popped it down there.

Nature is all around us, we are part of it, but we often choose to treat it less than us. But we have to value what it brings, even the scariest of creatures. They are all important. I’ve always been crazy about animals and would often as a child help the wounded animals if I could. If I pass a dead animal when in a car, I always give it a nod and tell it to rest in peace. I want it to know, though it may never, that I notice, I see it and it isn’t something that just blends into the background.

So I guess all I am asking, is if you see a dead rabbit or deer, mouse or bird, you will take a moment to acknowledge it. Whether human or animal, respect the dead and be thankful for what they brought to this world. We are all nature.

Thank you for reading, enjoy your Halloween. Have a lovely week and look after you, and don’t forget to say thank you to nature.

Love Emma xx