The Mysterious Footsteps

It was, Pepé Le Pew an Academy Award-winning fictional character come to life, a very healthy looking black and white skunk. Amazingly in the glaring light he continued fearless with his business. I suspect he sensed that I loved the creatures of the earth and he had nothing to fear and why would one fear the light, perhaps he did not know I was behind it. The source of the sound was that he would gather leaves and pull them quickly to his stomach and hop backwards in one big movement, which created the sound of a single step. He was collecting leaves for his bed. So I turned the flashlight off because the last thing we want to do is to create fear in the mind of a skunk.

My eyes adjusted to the darkness, but there was nothing there. It was like he had just disappeared into nothingness. Was I imagining things, where did he go? I turned the flashlight back on. I assumed a hole under the shed which was actually surrounded by a wire mesh to prevent critters from getting underneath.

Although there was one gap that I had filled with a brick, all I could see is leaves and no hole. Then all of a sudden a small black head pops out and upon seeing me disappears back underneath the shed in a flash. I immediately turned my light off and walked the opposite direction because I knew if I created fear in his mind he would spray and the shed area would stink.

So I thought I would wait until he left and then plug up the hole because I don’t really like the essence of skunk pew. Even if they don’t spray, they still mark territory and skunk pew is activated by H2O and when it rains there is this unpleasant lingering odor. But then the thought came to mind what if he is there for a reason? What if he is there to protect me or my shed? Sometimes there is a good reason for things that we cannot understand although we think they are not right. On the other hand I don’t really want my shed to smell like a skunk.

But then my mind offered some logic, perhaps since he lives there he will not mark his scent there, because it's his home, and if some sexy lady skunk comes along Pepé Le Pew can simply present himself and take her to his favorite secret source of grubs for dinner. So the thought is for now I will leave him be, so that he may have a home for the winter. Who knows maybe there is a reason, perhaps that it generated this story.

It is important not to create fear in the minds of others because they might do irrational things and we do this by keeping love in our minds. There is a difference between fear and having a healthy respect for things and the use of caution so as not to create an undesired event. We do not fear the lion, we respect the lion, and keep a distance so as not to intrude in his domain, especially a lioness with cubs. You see she will act fiercely out of love to save her children if she thinks one is a threat.

When we are on a cliff we do not fear the height we respect it and keep our awareness honed and in the present moment moving with care, when we look both ways before crossing the street it is not because we fear the cars, it is because we do not want to create the cause of an unwanted effect. You see if we keep our attention on our surroundings and not on trivial things, or the past or future, we maintain acute awareness and can respond quickly. If we listen to our feelings, and don't allow our minds to be clouded by desire, they will tell us if there is danger so that we can head the other way and avoid an unwanted experience or as a last resort be ready to confront it.

The most unusual thing happened in the same back yard just three weeks earlier. Read it now. (this is not up yet, but we will have soon as we get the video processed)

Best Wishes,
Richard Gerber

The No Fear Movement

Best new insightful quotes and links regarding fear from the Infinite Player