Natey’s school is less than 3 miles away from our home. I can run there in under 30 minutes, but often times it takes me the same amount of time to drive there because of the awful traffic to get onto Lincoln.

Not my Seagull, but one of many photos on-line

Today we successfully left our home before 7:30 am, my ideal time. I have worked it out so I know that if I am out the door before 7:30 am , I can cruise it even if there is a ton of traffic, and I will be on time. This morning we were in a great place! I was second in line to make the dreaded left turn to get onto Lincoln. I was winning! Perhaps I was even going to be at school too early! We were groovin’ to Pete the Cate, when the kids let out  “Oh no! Mama! Look at that Seagull!”

I turn around and there it was. A Seagull whose leg was caught in a plastic bag. He was trying to get it off but he was tangled in the bag. There were about 60 cars behind me coming from all directions to get onto my spot. My heart yanked at me to pull over but my mind quickly reminded me that I had a commitment to be at school early. I had accomplished the very difficult task of leaving at my ideal time and now held the best position in queue.

My nephew’s sad face

I maneuvered my car, put my emergency lights on and made an illegal half way turn, and pulled into a little corner. A very dangerous corner to pull into, as I was also going against traffic. Perhaps not the best decision but it is because of us, humans, that this Seagull was now on a path of struggle. I grabbed my Swiss army knife and jumped out of the car. I approached it very carefully but he was clearly scared and wouldn’t let me near. It flew away as far as it could but the bag inflated when he tried to fly higher and down it came. I couldn’t run onto the street, I had broken enough rules, so I jumped in the car, turned around, and got back in line. All the way at the end.

Tears welled up and I began to cry on my drive to school. Earth is such a special place, that we were so lovingly given to take care of. We cohabitate and often times I think we, humans, forget. We can take bird poop off our shirts, but an animal can’t unwrap a plastic bag from its leg. They can’t control warming temperatures. They can’t control what we are taking and how we change their world, too.

I don’t have any words of wisdom, other than do what you can for our amazing planet earth (and try not to break too many rules or put your life in danger while doing it). A lot of animals and nature depend on our behavior and our choices. Pick up an extra piece of trash when you see one on the floor. Recycle. Speak up for those who can’t. Let us remember to be kind not only to each other, but also our Earth and all its inhabitants.