A couple of days ago I was in Indiana visiting my parents. I was taking a walk down the middle of a narrow tree-lined street when I heard a loud, splatting noise behind me, like someone had dropped twenty gallons of Jello from the tree-tops onto the road. It was loud, people.
I turned around. And behind me, on the road, was a fox squirrel laying limp. I didn’t have my camera with me but you know what they look like.
well-fed fox squirrel
I glanced upward. The nearest branch was at least thirty feet off the ground. Five seconds earlier and I’d have broken that squirrel’s fall with my head.
Anyway, I was pretty sure it was dead but I was still fascinated. I mean, I’ve seen a squirrel fall out of a tree and land on leaves and spruce needles and then run away, but this was pavement.
So, I took a step toward the motionless squirrel. My brain was a mix of sadness for the squirrel, and researcher for my writing. How did it die? Why did it fall? Poor thing. It looks so healthy otherwise.
I took another step toward the squirrel and it started to shake. I turned to my wife and said. “It’s moving.” Is it in pain? Is it having a seizure? What should I do? Am I going to be faced with the possibility of ending its suffering? If I get too close, will it try to bite me like an abandoned seal pup did years ago?
I took another step toward it and it started moving—slowly—very slowly—like slow motion-slowly, toward the base of the tree it’d fallen from. It looks like all its legs are working. It’s kind of shaky, but it’s walking.
Then it did something amazing. It proceeded to climb the very tree it’d fallen from just forty seconds ago.
Precious pics Paul. As I was reading your post, I felt grief for the squirrel, and sadness for you that you might have to end the little one’s life. YAY! My feelings jumped to joy as I finished your story.
Great tension, pal.
We can all learn from this little critter. GET BACK UP. AND TRY, TRY AGAIN. 
Or else, we’ll never realize our dreams. I won’t forget this little guy. He can teach us an important lesson if we’ll let him.
After my own posts were finished, I came “North” to visit and found this wonderful, poignant and joyful, story of resilience. Thanks, Paul!
Powerful. And totally what I needed to hear this morning. Thanks!
Great story, Paul, and well told. I particularly liked the shadow writer, asking a dispassionate set of questions.
A great lesson learned from the squirrel. Wonderful story, Paul. Thanks for sharing.
There seems to be a theme going around in the blogosphere about persistence. Kinda weird! But also, very cool. Because sometimes I need to hear it more than once to really get it.
And now … Go Squirrel!
I’m glad the little guy just had the wind knocked out of him and wasn’t injured. It makes for a good reminder that as painful as some life experiences are, if you stay down you’re in danger of getting hit by the next truck that comes along instead of being at the curb to accept the delivery. In riding circles it would be called “getting back on the horse.” Persistence is part of the learning process, the keep-trying-until-you-get-it-right principle. I wonder what that squirrel had been trying to do when he fell and I like how your writerly mind functioned.
Way to get back in the saddle! Poor thing.
Whoa! That’s an experience, for sure. It reminds me of the clips I’ve seen of baby ducklings leaping from their nest high in a tree. They land in piles of leaves and seem fine as they waddle off behind thier mother, but I find it hard to believe they do.
That’s one tough squirrel! I guess we could all learn a thing or two from him.
What an awesome lesson! It just shows that no matter how loud your thump is when you fall, you can get back up and try again. Thanks Paul!
this is a very cool story!! Thanks for sharing!
LOL Just like we keep doing:))
Now I know why I like you–you’re from Indiana. My best friend from Fl is from there too–it seems like everyone I meet from there is so nice:)
I’m glad the little guy was okay. And didn’t give up! Thanks for sharing.
What a survivor! I love blog posts like this, that take snippets from ordinary life and show us how to see more clearly and live more boldly. I’m off to re-climb my personal tree – my manuscript!