76 Comments
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Nan Tepper's avatar

This is beautiful, Abby. "We are not all there is, we are not the big deal we think ourselves to be." This is something I've always known, and wondered at the arrogance of bi-peds who stand erect. What a cocky bunch of people we are. I remember the first time I saw a flying squirrel. Awe. Wonder. Humility. Same goes for a Luna moth. xo

Abigail Thomas's avatar

and thousands of other creatures we still know nothing about. Thank you.

Wendy Varley's avatar

"It is suddenly obvious that everything isn’t all about us." Yes! I remember seeing these extraordinary creatures on a David Attenborough documentary. Grateful for the dracos! And grateful for you, Abigail.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Thank you! I am so in love with everything that isn't us! Lots and lots to be blown away by. What took me so long? Too tied up in all this focus on us!!

Deborah Sosin's avatar

Beautiful, hopeful reminder. Please keep making things out of words. And feel better soon.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Thank you. Getting there. Glad you liked these miraculous creatures.

CAROLYN DICKEY's avatar

This piece should be carved in stone for the ages. Some of us (you) understood what caused us to follow the dinosaurs into extinction. Mother earth will survive, and perhaps some of the indigenous people of the amazon, this piece is an elegy for capitalist humans. Thank you, thank you and thank you

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Thank you. I hope our earth will remain hospitable to every other species.

JBM78's avatar

Yesterday, as I lay on the moss-covered ground, I watched the trees shooting swaying limbs into the sky and silently asked them if I could be one of them. Make me like you, make me know what you know about how to be in the world. I am sure they answered, but it will take me a long time to understand, or just some other way of listening. (Which makes me think of an amazing childrens book called The Other Way to Listen by Byrd Baylor). Thank you for your words ❤️

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Oh the trees. The trees, and the creatures they feed and shelter. Thank you.

Kathleen Banfield's avatar

Reptiles have always fascinated me. Particularly true chameleons. Through experiences, I've found they don't make good pets, nor do they thrive in captivity.

Indeed, my spirit animal.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Perfect choice. Turtles are mine.

Mira Dessy's avatar

I love how your mind works and how even in the middle of not feeling well you managed to find wonder and thoughtful observation. Thank you for sharing.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Thank you. I got lucky with dracos.

Beth Kephart's avatar

I have said this before, I will no doubt say it again, but I believe it. Your best one yet. Yes. We are not all there is. xoxoxoxo

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Beth, that means a lot to me. Thank you.

Rona Maynard's avatar

I am grateful for your ardent noticing of small, beautiful things.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

So do you, so do you. Thank you.

Jeanne Guy's avatar

You've again lifted my spirits -- and with the delight in of all things, a little creature known as a draco. I loved this: "It is suddenly obvious that everything isn’t all about us. I’m so tired of us and the damage we do to the earth, and to each other." Healing is a form of courageous resistance. You and I must now rest and be amazed by that which is speaking to our spirits - like your dracos. Love you, lady.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Yes, we must and will. Thank you.

Jane Mundy's avatar

So glad I woke up to read this instead of doomscrolling. Thanks Abby, gonna take the dogs hiking by the ocean now.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

What a perfect plan. The ocean! with dogs!

Laura J. Wellner's avatar

The world we live in and share with other creatures is a beautiful thing that I treasure, and have treasured throughout my awareness. There's too much human hubris that seeks to dominate everything, and not enough human empathy for life that is not "us."

Abigail Thomas's avatar

we think ourselves the best, most interesting, most conscious and we ar\re bipeds with tonues that wag and often say nothing useful and do such harm. Not all of us, I know that.. But I'm down on us this week, so am listening to old rock&roll to feel better, which is perhaps ironic. But I love irony. The earliest root of irony is simply "to speak," which gave me great pleasure for its ironic nature.. I want to be a draco when I grow up.

Susan K's avatar

Draco lizards and old rock n' roll! What a fabulous combination!

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Yeah. Try it. and thank you.

Laura J. Wellner's avatar

I've been rocking the old songs a lot lately, it's soothing and yet...very inspiring!

Abigail Thomas's avatar

and too little human empathy for those humans who are not like us. except for the magas. for them,I've got nothing.

Laura J. Wellner's avatar

Yes, Dracos are awesome!

Paul D'Arcy's avatar

Thank you, Abigail.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Thank you. So glad you liked it and them.

Nancy Jainchill's avatar

And what's so scary and disturbing is that we're lighting a match to all of it.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

we're throwing bombs..

Sue Sutherland-Wood's avatar

Such a charming yet profound read and one that I relate to. Whenever I am feeling really (really) down I've noticed that the lifeline that eventually hoists me up is curiosity. It's such a powerful force and that sudden sparkle of learning or noticing something interesting or new, lifts me up. It's so understandable to be feeling a bit dejected after being ill AND waking daily to another bizarre headline. No wonder these wee Dracos set your own spirit flying too! Bravo Abigail! xoxo

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Curiosity saves the day. It doesn't kill the cat.

Thank you.

Marilea C. Rabasa's avatar

I'll be long dead before this happens. But someday my grandchildren's grandchildren will see the human race do itself in with their greed and stupidity. Maybe a lot sooner than that. We are so small in the grand scheme of things. It helps me to remember that, to keep my ego in check. Would that the powers who govern us had more humility. Yeah, in my dreams...

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Not even in my dreams.Alas. Thank you.