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| Black squirrel, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
I did not take this photo in Chicago. I took it several years ago during a trip to Toronto. This was the first time ever that I had seen a black squirrel--seriously!--and I couldn't stop marveling at it. It's cute, of course, and has a beautiful, shiny black coat. This morning, while walking home from the coffeehouse, where I bought a large redeye and a cranberry-orange scone, I saw my first black squirrel ever in the city of Chicago. Seriously, I have never seen a black squirrel in my hometown before, and I was a little stunned. Was this little guy a native I have just overlooked before, or is he (or she) a recent transplant from up north? It just goes to show you what we can miss if we don't take the time to pay attention. How many cool or interesting or beautiful things have you been missing because you don't take the time to slow down and observe? How many sunrises over Lake Michigan or sunsets in the desert? How many times have you gone to the beach with your headphones on, music blasting, and have missed the rhythmic sound of water rushing to shore? This is especially the case in Chicago, where I see so many people constantly plugged into their MP3 players. How much of life are you missing because you don't take the time to be curious, because you are not humble enough to stand in awe of Creation?
I didn't see a black squirrel in Canada but did see a brown one. Everything is marvelous when you see it for the first time
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