Knowledge through Experience

Now I know.

I'd heard some neighbors talk and complain and say why they didn't like them, and so I kind of knew, but I didn't know. I couldn't really sympathize cause I hadn't experiences it and felt it in my heart. But now I have, and now I know. 'Cause this morning I went outside to water the flowers and it was over. I had been trying to take pictures to see their growth day by day, but alas, they were gone.

The deer ate my roses.

Now I liked the deer, I really did. And I guess I still do... They made our home have a Snow White forest enchantment to it. But now I know again that there is opposition in all things. Deer have opposition. Roses have thorns, and deer eat roses.

I've been reading the book "Finding Peace, Happiness, and Joy" by Richard G. Scott, and on page 161, he says "When did you last observe a tiny rosebud form? Each day it develops new and impressive character, more promise of beauty, until it becomes a magnificent rose." So I'd already been loving flowers before I read that, and after I read that, I tried to take even more pause and pleasure in beholding the flowers. And each day they grew bigger and they seemed that they were about to burst. This morning I went out to see if any colored petals were peaking through, but alas, they'd all been snipped off. I felt a sense of loss. Sure, they are a little smaller on the scale of God's creations. I'd rather see a dead rose on the ground than a dead deer on the side of the road. And deer do need to eat (I don't envy them... probably such a hard life trying to feel satisfied by eating plants all day...) But still, poor little flowers! They didn't fulfil the measure of their creation! And I felt sad for them. And the deer ate part of the top of one of my tomato plants too. (sniff!)

(Kinda funny when I found out later via facebook that my neighbor had caught the culprits in action!!)

SO, now I know by experience why the deer can be a negative when it comes to the yard, and I can truly console and sympathize with my neighbors. We'll mourn our plants together. I will still like the deer, but I am going to shoo them away if I see them pausing in our lot for lunch. I'm also keeping the back gate closed. I went out and hunted for any other new rose life to ease my pain after the initial shock wore off, and there are like 7 very very small rose bud tips that were hidden and small enough that they went unnoticed. But I can't put a gate around them in front yard. So we'll just have to say a prayer for them and life will go on. Grow little flowers ~ become the magnificent roses you were destined to become! But you're gonna have to watch out for teeth.

On a side note about nature, I thought I'd share this funny statement by Wesley the other day - Corey likes to watch nature videos with the kids every now and then, just to remind them of their own mortality and that it's a big bad world out there or something... and as we watched another video of a lion hunting and killing a poor zebra, Wesley said "The Lion King lies! They make it seem like the animals are friends!" It made me laugh. Sorry to be the ones to have to enlighten you to reality Wes, but you're right, they kinda spun that movie. But I trust it will benefit you more in life for you to know the truth about the "circle of life".