The Green Light

This evening I was on two hours routine walk in the City National Park in Toronto. Many residents love to walk since we got a walk way created through this city jungle. Believe me, it is a wonderful opportunity to relax after a long day on the computer or any other routine.

If you can visit this place during summer time, there are a lot to see. I love the sound of those almost invisible crickets hidden in the tall grass, many species of butterflies moving for a flower to another and some times chasing each other.

There are territorial birds that spin over your head as you walk around their nest. I love to see the tall trees growing around the large creek meandering the forest’s bed. The birds in the trees are simply delightful. As I was wondering inside the woods, I felt something behind my back. I turned around and I was this beautiful deer starring at me.

She was not afraid at all until I resolutely started walking towards her. Then she jumped in the bush and disappeared. There are so many rabbits to see. Sometimes I take pictures with my smartphone to show to my friends. This place really makes me feel very happy.

This place has many bridges and from the bridge, if you bring some bread with you, you can enjoy the show of duck feeding. Do not quote me on this because even though people feed them, the city doesn’t advice us to do that. People just enjoy doing this because they feel this kind of connection between them and those creatures.

I was just scared a bit when I found myself face to face alone with a coyote on my way. He was not scared either. Then I remembered that the best tactic was to keep walking  towards him instead of running away. I knew I couldn’t outrun a coyote if he decided to come after me. Also running away was a sign of weakness any animal can pick up quickly and come after you.

I knew from the start that I would one day meet this animal because I had seen a coyote dangerously crossing the street. He was almost killed by a speeding vehicle. The only precaution I took was to walk with stick just in case he would attack me. A joke, isn’t it? How long or how often would you walk around for two hours with a stick?

Luckily, the animal kept its’ distance and returned on the path way behind me as I was moving away. Then I meet this guy who was riding a bicycle. He told me that he had just met that same coyote and was very scared. He added that the last time he came around this park, he saw three coyotes together and had vowed to never return.

I explained to him that those animals were actually an asset to us. They caused no harm to anyone and no incident of animal attack had been recorded so far.

Unfortunately, since this is a city park, there are main roads crossing it and the cars are travelling at high speed. It is not unusual to see an animal killed while attempting to cross the street. As a matter of fact, a car almost hit me this evening as I was trying to cross one of those roads.

I had waited patiently after pushing the button. I only attempted crossing because there was a green light. All the cars had stopped but only one came from the middle lane and kept speeding. I suddenly stopped and the car missed me by a few inches. I had no one to complain to. Does it really matter?

Then when I was getting closer to my house, I thought I should share this with you. Nothing can be taken for granted. My kids, when they cross the street, they have no fear. They have their headsets plugged in their ears and all they are waiting for is the green light. They truly believe that the green lights give them the right to proceed.

I have explained to them that a true wise person is color blind. The green lights are indeed an indication to proceed but at the same time, I asked them a question. Suppose you are driving and an old woman is slowly crossing the street and the lights are green, what do you do? If a fool cuts you off driving or walking in front of you, do you hit him just because you have the green lights?

Nothing in life should be taken for granted, not even the life itself. We need to use our judgement as well.

Isidore