To Those Who Care Not...

  "Progress" sometimes seems to be a beast of a problem to me.  Progress, as others see it, is a step forward but, in my case, it is a whole marathon in the opposite direction.  I do not like leaving the beauty of nature in turmoil due to what others think is necessity.  I am referring, of course, to the demolition of the only "wild and free" areas left around here.  The Bayou is one of the few plots of ground where the wild things reign and Mother Nature is allowed to do her own thing.  Houses, apartment buildings, condos are all being built around us and will most likely soon swallow us up to boot.  It is only a matter of time before we are forced to submit to the whims of those in power and the Bayou will be only a dim memory from days gone by.  It saddens me to think of such things but facing facts is something I have to do before it smacks me in the head.  None of the nearby property owners seem to care about any of this as they are all money-hungry.  Most do not live around here so what happens to the area does not hold any significance.  It does befuddle me, however, as these same people will tout concerns over what is happening to the earth through such things as global warming but, at the same time, refuse to believe that they own any responsibility.  Perhaps it is their thoughts that if they close their eyes, poke out their hands to receive pay outs and pretend that it is all for good, then nothing could be amiss.  Tell that to the critters that have no where to go.  Convince me that allowing the last piece of unblemished land to become flattened by bulldozers is ecologically smart.  Tell me again how you care.  

  I was pondering all of this as I sat on the pier and to my west was a large tractor working on the land. This particular one was digging up the marshland but beyond that others were grinding through the woods. The rumble of engines to my east, told me that more demolition was being done on that side.  To the north, much of the same could be heard. The Bayou is surrounded.  The beasts are eating the trees, ripping through the marsh, gnawing up animals' dens and generally disrupting life.  There is nothing I can do to stop any of it and others do not seem to have the decency to care.

  A lone pelican sat on a post of my brother's pier.  It was the sole bit of consolation that lightened my mood and gave me a small glimmer of hope.  The bird will survive. It has the option to move on just a whim.  Others are not so fortunate.  About six months ago, the property to our west was clear-cut.  Not once did it concern either the work crews nor the property owners that many dens containing wee babes were being crushed. Many, many tiny lives were lost.  At night, the cries of the mothers could be heard as they were out hunting for the long-dead babies.  It was heartbreaking to think of their loss.  Coyotes, bobcats, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, fox and deer had all used that property as a safe haven.  It backfired on them all because of that thing called progress and people who turn a blind eye toward the damage.  I guess the old saying that "Money talks" holds true.