At the Edge of a Pandemic: "Chaos and Mindfulness"

I sit quietly by the beaver pond in the fog. I can hear a raven and a red tail hawk calling but cannot see them. The bluejays give their warning calls and the smart chickadees, that I can see, shift closer to the tree trunks.

The scene is about adaptation and evolution. These days I see "Virus vs  Human" a bit like the hawk and the chickadees. The chickadees even though they can't see the hawk know to seek safety when the alarms are sounded. They hear the hawk call and the bluejays' warning, and they react. It's a matter of survival.

Humans, as creatures of comfort and dominance, often hear or see warning signs but we don't react or respond.  We don't like to have our routines changed. We don't want to give up our daily lives. We don't want to be told what to do, especially by a single-celled organism.

My question is which organism is more successful at adaptation and evolution -- the single-celled or "large brained" multi-cellular?

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During the "stay-at-home" months, I have spent lots of time observing the creatures and natural beauty around me.

          Eastern or maybe a Canadian Tiger Swallowtail

   

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 

This young robin fledged 5 minutes after the photo.

                Red Spotted Purple Butterfly

                   Common Green Darner , I believe

               Osprey on the search for a meal

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Some may say the beaver pond hawk is a dominant species. It has evolved and adapted to survive this world.

To be a Top Predator, a species fits into the ecosystem. It does not destroy its habitat or contribute to its own extinction. It does not damage or change the natural balance. If its environment changes, a top predator adapts... moves further up the mountain... moves further north... adapts to new food sources.

Some say humans are a dominant species, a top predator. That may be true, but humans have long fought natural systems. We foul our water, cut down our trees, pollute the air and generally, destroy our habitat.

But today a novel virus called Covid 19 has brought sickness, death, infirmity, fear and chaos into our world. At this time in 2020, the virus is in charge, not us humans.  It's our moment for adaptation and change.  A matter of our survival.

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Aged Snapping Turtle in the sun

Back to Nature: 
This old soul has a certain curiosity in his eye and seems to be very patient.  He's wondering, "What will these humans do?"

Will we choose to be mindful of the world around us or will we continue to let chaos rule. Mindfulness and Chaos -- which will you choose?

Reference: 
Excellent article that inspired this post.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/25/coronavirus-nature-is-sending-us-a-message-says-un-environment-chief