Symbolic or what?

[Mark]

I was sitting at the traffic lights yesterday in the afternoon sun waiting for the green when I noticed a rodent dashing across the road in front of me from the right. It was probably one of the 600 or so species of rat. I watched as it determinedly ran the white line separating pedestrians from vehicles and made it safely to an island on the left. It still had to cross one lane and we both saw the SUV bearing down on it at the same time but it didn't pause for a moment. It jumped off the island and continued running the white line down the middle of the road on my left and when the SUV had passed the rodent made a sharp right turn behind it and headed straight into a famous fast food joint. I had to laugh. :lol:

[Steve_Barker]

We have dozens of them at work (and cockroaches) - is that also symbolic.

{I'm a government empolyee}

[mountainhiker]

We have dozens of them at work (and cockroaches) - is that also symbolic.

{I'm a government empolyee}

four legged or two legged? :D

[Mark]

It's not personal Steve, it's a matter of perception. The event may have been a reflection of something going on in my own life. I often see such reflections in nature and I'm surely not the only one. What about you, do cockroaches and rats equate with working for the government?

Not to malign the creatures but the way I see it is there are such in every domain, as there are swans and butterflies.

And they all have to eat something.

[Steve_Barker]

four legged or two legged?

Both, alas :(

[Steve_Barker]

It's not personal Steve, it's a matter of perception. The event may have been a reflection of something going on in my own life. I often see such reflections in nature and I'm surely not the only one. What about you, do cockroaches and rats equate with working for the government?

Not to malign the creatures but the way I see it is there are such in every domain, as there are swans and butterflies.

And they all have to eat something.

I believe its important to see insights in the world around us, both natural and man-made, and its vital that we have respect for all life. However, we have to look after our lives and spaces that support it. I recall the story of a Tibetan nunnery that had a rat problem, but no one would do anything that harmed them, because Tibetan Nuns are supposed to have compassion for all. Eventually, the nunnery had to be abandoned, when some nuns died of starvation. When the nunnery's principle teacher was informed about this he was annoyed at the stupidity of the nuns in not following the "middle way".

"What about you, do cockroaches and rats equate with working for the government?" - Possibly, at times its difficult to remain principled B)

[mountainhiker]

I believe its important to see insights in the world around us, both natural and man-made, and its vital that we have respect for all life. However, we have to look after our lives and spaces that support it. I recall the story of a Tibetan nunnery that had a rat problem, but no one would do anything that harmed them, because Tibetan Nuns are supposed to have compassion for all. Eventually, the nunnery had to be abandoned, when some nuns died of starvation. When the nunnery's principle teacher was informed about this he was annoyed at the stupidity of the nuns in not following the "middle way".

"What about you, do cockroaches and rats equate with working for the government?" - Possibly, at times its difficult to remain principled

And the moral of that story is that "compassion" should never mean a total lock of common sense.... <_<

[Mark]

I believe its important to see insights in the world around us, both natural and man-made, and its vital that we have respect for all life. However, we have to look after our lives and spaces that support it. I recall the story of a Tibetan nunnery that had a rat problem, but no one would do anything that harmed them, because Tibetan Nuns are supposed to have compassion for all. Eventually, the nunnery had to be abandoned, when some nuns died of starvation. When the nunnery's principle teacher was informed about this he was annoyed at the stupidity of the nuns in not following the "middle way".

"What about you, do cockroaches and rats equate with working for the government?" - Possibly, at times its difficult to remain principled

They were probably monks. ;)

[Mark]

And the moral of that story is that "compassion" should never mean a total lock of common sense....

Well said :thumbup:

[Bobby]

I love nature and get particularly emotional when I see animals being killed or harmed. Saying that we get the most gigantic cockroaches which fly into our apartment - squished one the other night that must have had internal organs it was so big. Left quite a mess too...

Luckily I'm more for down the middle than to the extreme :D