Human Nature

Yesterday Alex, David, and I walked to the National Zoo not far away from my apartment. Another great part about being in DC is that great attractions are right by you, and usually free. So we spent a few hours roaming around seeing the famous and oh so cute pandas, elephants, lions, hippos, and all your usual zoo fanfare. I will note that I did sit on a bench outside while David and Alex went into the reptile house because reptiles scare me like no other, and I had just as much fun watching little kids wander around...they're almost as fun to watch as the animals themselves.

As we stood around, watching pandas eating frozen rings of fruit and the seals lounging around on rocks, we all commented on "wow, I wish my life were that easy."

I think the reality of it is that if we really wanted to have that kind of life, there are probably ways to obtain it and most of us simply don't choose it. Yes, of course you might need to work to have some kind of income to live on, but if we truly wanted a life of simplicity, we could cut back on a lot of things. I got a dose of it this summer when I really had no obligations. I was like the panda, just playing around outside and sleeping. But I eventually got bored of it because it's just not how I was raised. For as long as I can remember, I was always active, always busy doing something whether it was piano lessons, softball, soccer, 4-H, sewing lessons, swimming lessons, the list goes on.

While I might long to live a carefree life or complain about the work, I really do know that deep down inside, that I'd rather be active and take the occasionally relaxation break than have it be the other way around. I wonder what people would say about the human species if we were exhibits in a zoo.