Today we went to the zoo. Yep, that is right. We packed up all ten tons of stuff we "needed" and headed to the Los Angeles Zoo. Mind you, in my hay day, I was a law abiding animal rights activist who bravely yelled out the window at the Barnum and Bailey's Circus and stood in front of Target superstores hounding former customers to sign petitions that would stop the use of steel traps. Me set foot in an "animal prison"--never. But, there I was today, glaring at the bear, gibbons, and tigers, attempting to ignore how they might look and feel different in the wild. It is amazing how one can completely twist their once daunting views of the world and begin to justify something they were so strongly against.
Maybe they are better off at the zoo, safe from predators, poachers, and the destruction of their natural habitats. Maybe they don't realize and remember the difference between their old and new living quarters. Maybe animals don't have the capacity to feel sorry for themselves. Someone even told me once that animals don't feel pain because they have no conscience. Anyone who has ever been lucky enough to be owned by a dog knows that isn't true. Ultimately, I believe my knew acceptance of the zoo boils down to one thing. You guessed it, my daughter. Watching her recognize a lion or a monkey or a bird for the first time and being amazed and excited that she is able to communicate her knowledge with me is unexplainable. A feeling I will never be able to describe for you in a blog. She has plenty of time to learn about man's inhumanity and imposition on the world around him. For now, I will just do my best to shelter and enjoy her innocence.
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