We have a little pond in our backyard. During the summer, it will dry out and I will clean the debris out of the bottom. A couple of months ago, I noticed it was almost dry. As I checked it, I noticed there were some tadpoles in the little pool that was left. Judging by the thin layer of water and how hot it was, I thought ‘well looks like today is the day tadpoles.’
Just as I was turning away, something caught my eye. I looked down into the puddle and saw two tadpoles next to each other. As I watched, one of them would swim away in a circle, then come up behind the other one and bump him. Then, the other one would take off, loop around, and come up behind the other one and bump him back.
The tadpoles were playing tag.
And it affected me deeply. I went and got the water hose, and that day and everyday for the next couple of weeks, til it rained, I kept a little water in the hole. For life.
I remember once hearing Clyde Lewis on his radio show talking about the salt on snail trick kids try out. If you pour salt on a slug or snail, it dissolves them. He poured salt on a snail, and he said the snail turned and looked at him, like ‘why did you do that?’
He said he felt terrible, like a big jerk. For taking a life.
All squishy for squishy things. What gives? I think it is the sanctity of life. All of us have that spark, the breath of life. Everything is connected, living in the power of the Creator. We are all kin, all creatures great and small with that same force, that same power, that same love.
If you feel that love, live in it, you will reverence and appreciate the Life in all things.
Have you ever heard about the various animal therapy programs? The connection between the living things, the power of the love that comes from the life is healing. Everything God put here is to teach us how to love.
And then you learn, what you give is what you get.
My despair over the tadpoles was amusing to my wife. It got me to pondering- little tadpoles did.
I wonder if the tadpoles weren’t really playing tag, but trying to get my attention. Desperately trying to be noticed- so that their plight might be revealed.
I know they are just tadpoles that had no idea the water was almost gone. But I like to think something else- that the tadpoles called out for help, they prayed for a miracle.
“Good Master, have mercy on us here. Please send water lest we die.”
That’s what I like to think.
Bondo- the real deal 
Now I think that is wonderful. If that doesn’t wake any sleeping commenters, I am gonna start to worry. This is just downright cute. The good man considers the life of his beast. Compassion!! Your wife mighta tittered, or give you a hard time, but men of compassion are men indeed. Where would we be if our heavenly Father showed no compassion on us. Being so much mightier than we are, where would we be if there were no Love or compassion for us. Understanding our condition, we can understand the plight of the tadpole indulging in one last game of tag before the water is gone, or one last dicth effort to attract attention bto our dilemma. Bondo to the rescue!!
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Myself being someone who has killed butchered, skinned a lot of creatures over this lifetime, it is possible to dispatch something with compassion. Just because I will be eating it later is no reason to make anything suffer. Stop and consider the end for a few tadpoles, and the suffering that lay ahead for them creating the opportunity for them to grow into little froggies, probably wasn’t that costly. Rewarding to say the least. It reinforces that we are human, and reinforces our humanity. I have a kinda short fuse for people that cause unnecessary suffering. I know a few people who have probably earned it, but if I lost to the hunt or the snare, dispatch me with proper dignit. One of the most ominous feelings is trying to harvest or dispatch an animal, and not do it properly is a feeling that doesn’t go away. Nice little story.
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Thanks for your comment sir.
I eat chicken and beef and I know where it comes from. We lived in the country for most of my upbringing and I too harvested animals. Never enjoyed it but yes, as quickly and humanely as possible. There is a big difference between that and animal abuse. There is a big difference between hunting for outdoors and survival skills, to learn how to live off the land and people who just like killing stuff.
If you don’t respect the life, you direspect the giver of that life.
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