The mouse and the ant

The clouds and thunder were a welcomed surprise. My last day in Spain was a cool one, a nice break from the hot streak we’ve been enduring. I spent the day in the yard doing some exercises while the grey sky rumbled in the background. I was going to the pull up bar when I noticed a mouse laying in a wet spot on the concrete at the bottom of the stairs. Its eyes were closed and appeared almost sealed shut. It would ocassionaly twitch its legs and it was clearly dying. Its heart seemed to be beating extra fast but maybe mice’s hearts always beat fast. I spent a few minutes looking at it. I wished it would not suffer. I wanted to help but it was too far gone. I knew that if I tried to help I would only cause it pain. The poor thing.

Tomorrow I return to the USA. I’m looking forward to being on my own again and going on some adventures. I went to lunch with my father and his family. They Spoke in Spanish about the World Cup. Afterwards I returned to the backyard and noticed the mouse had dissapeared. I assume a bird had come for the free meal but an innocent part of me hopes that it had recovered. I went to the sauna and sweated heavily, then jumped into the pool and soaked in the hot tub where I found myself staring at a dead ant that must have fallen into the water and drowned. It was being pushed around by the jets but was otherwise motionlesss.

I find it interesting how only the living have to deal with death. The dead have moved on and it is us that are left to face what remains.

I pray that today’s reminders of mortality are not omens for something to come.