The rouge neighborhood rabbit..
The other morning I awoke to see a white rabbit hopping about in our yard. This wasn't surprising, as for the past few months almost every time I walk our neighborhood loop I see this one lone rabbit.
My dog, Arrow, won't let me miss him (for the purpose of this story, I am going to assume the rabbit is a “him”; though I am unsure of the gender, I get masculine energy from our hoppy guy). Arrow's coonhound excitement bubbles up and he screeches and lunges at the bunny every time he catches the scent. As I drag Arrow by the bunny and coerce him with treats, the rabbit keeps his chill, munching on a patch of clovers. It's almost like the rabbit knows Arrow is a domesticated animal on a leash.
There is no real threat here...
In fact, existing without fear is how this rabbit seems to live his life. Despite cars that whiz by at 40+ mph down our street (the speed limit is 25 mph, please slow down!), the coyotes in the ravine, the eagles that circle above, the ravenous raccoons, and a plethora of hungry guard dogs, the white rogue rabbit prevails, despite all of the circumstances working against him.
How is that thing still living? I ask myself every time I see him.
You're probably thinking: “It's not that uncommon to have rabbits in a neighborhood.” And I agree—it would be one thing if our neighborhood was full of rabbits. They do breed at a rapid rate. But that's the thing, there is just ONE bunny. I got an up close look at him the other night. With his lopsided scraggly ears, beady eyes, and cute bunny bottom, this strange creature is an anomaly in our neck of the woods.
You might be wondering: “Okay cool, a random white rabbit, what's your point?!”
Well, if you ask me, we have something to learn from our white rabbit friend. He is a token reminder of resilience in a world full of difficult circumstances. He hops on because he was born to hop and he wants to keep hopping.
In a world full of climate change threats and concerns about an apocalyptic future, it's more important than ever to remember that life wants to live. And biology is exceptionally creative and adaptive.
In your own life which may feel extremely challenging and scary at times, how can you further embrace this white rabbit-tude? These are the questions that keep me up at night.
xx,
Gianna
