Deal making, deal-breaking

Inspiration

By Charles Towne

(I figured I would let Buddy rest a bit and give you something a tad different and tell you a bit about my very dull life as a little boy that refused to fully grow up.)

I have been mauled by a lion, had an African spotted leopard blown off the top of me with a ten gauge shotgun, had an angry female African elephant chase me and she definitely had blood in her eyes.

I have been kicked by a camel, chased by a ticked-off bull elk, been bitten three times by poisonous snakes, and otherwise been folded, spindled, and mutilated.

Such is the life of a zoo director.

Charles Towne dealing with a few friendly snakes...

As a professional small boy, I have lived a most interesting life in regard to the animals that I have been exposed to.

I wish I could have made a deal with my wild charges. If that had been possible it would have gone something like this, “If you don’t hurt me, I won’t hurt you!”

It wouldn’t have done me much good though because they seem to have very short memories.

Yeah, trying to make a deal with some critter that can bite your head off is sort of like making a deal with the devil, he isn’t going to honor it nohow, after all, it’s his character to do us as much harm as he possibly can.

Sometimes you hear of some dude that has made a deal with the devil, and for a short time it seems like everything is going in his favor, and then things seem to go awry, life turns sort of murky, and in the end they have the same problems that I do, but without the benefits. In fact, sometimes their lives are much bleaker then yours and mine.

When we are confronted with dangers in the natural world it seems only reasonable that we often come out on the short end of the stick.

Think about it. Snakes bite, we expect them to bite, we would be surprised if they didn’t bite, I mean, it is after all their character, but the devil now? In spite of the fact that he is a liar and that we know that he is a treacherous rascal and always telling us lies we seem to be surprised when he kicks us in the behind, but, like the vicious snake he is, it is after all his character.

Live fully

Love openly

And make a difference, today

My prayer for today,

Dear God, what a friend you are. I know that you are the only one that I can really trust. I have repeatedly bought trouble upon myself by not being obedient to your word, and there are those times that I whimper and whine and blame you, and ask, “why did you do this to me, God?” Or I have asked, “why did you allow me to do this to myself?” Knowing full well that any ugly consequence I bought on myself. Please Father, please oh merciful God, help me to be what you want me to be. In Jesus’ beautiful name I ask it, Amen

Charles Towne is first and foremost a Christian. An octogenarian, author, journalist, wildlife photographer, naturalist, caregiver, and survivor, his life has been and continues to be, a never-ending adventure filled with possibilities never imagined. He has adopted the philosophy that to Live fully, laugh uproariously, love passionately, and learn like there is no tomorrow, is a formula for a long and joy-filled life.