Sometimes the world is a tough place.

Today, when I returned home from the gym, I discovered a dead, red squirrel on the side of the road in front of our house.

I pulled into the driveway and stopped the car, feeling angry and heartbroken. That’s our red squirrel, I thought to myself as I started to cry.

Most mornings I begin the day by feeding Poupon, filling the bird feeders on the deck, and refreshing the water in the birdbath. Then, once Poupon and the birds are taken care of, I make myself a cup of tea and a little breakfast and sit in the livingroom to watch the feeder while I eat.

Poupon sits next to me, chattering like crazy as the birds swoop in to dine on sunflower hearts, drink water, and bathe.

In short order, a little red squirrel usually appears and begins scouring the floor under the feeder, vacuuming up the leftover sunflower seeds. As he scurries back and forth on the deck, Poupon races from window to window following his trail.

Here’s Poupon watching his buddy…

This little guy’s been visiting us for over a month and while I’m not sure it was the same squirrel at the end of the driveway, it still broke my heart. I feel such a strong connection to nature and animals and the thought of someone hitting him made me crazy. (We haven’t seen the red squirrel since ).

Am I the only one who gets this upset, I thought to myself as I sat in the car crying? Maybe I’m just too sensitive. Does anyone else fantasize about moving to a cabin in the middle of nowhere, away from cars and roads and anything that might cause harm to wildlife?

That’s my go-to fantasy when it comes to animals .

I don’t know why I wonder if I’m the only one who feels this way when things like this happen, but I do. It’s as if some part of me expects to feel instantly better knowing that others have a similar reaction.

The truth is, the world is a harsh place to live sometimes, especially for us sensitive souls, and we need each other to help make the journey a little softer.

And softer is what I needed today so I’m sharing my story with you…

This Week’s Video

One of my all-time favorite nature videos can be seen here. Thanks, Suzann!