One of the activities we enjoy at our summer home is watching the squirrels that live on our property. They have feelings. They exhibit joy—they love chasing each other up and down trees—and they get angry. Ever been scolded by a squirrel? I have. They also experience grief.
Several years ago, my husband and I were going to a theatrical production with friends. As our group approached the theater, we observed a squirrel that was very upset, clearly in panic mode. We quickly saw the cause of his concern. A vehicle had struck his companion, who now lay, deceased, in the middle of the street. Chirping hysterically, distraught over the loss of his friend—perhaps a family member—he was inconsolable and continued to express his grief as we proceeded to our destination.
Early this week, I heard great commotion outside. Looking out our office window, I saw two squirrels having, what appeared to be, a disagreement. I don’t know what they were arguing about, but they were definitely making their opinions known. Evidently, they used an effective communication technique because, in no time, they had made peace and were back to chasing each other, having a great time.
I think marriage counselor Jimmy Evans would approve of our squirrels’ conflict-resolution skills. “We need to learn how to approach one another when we are angry,” he writes. “This is such a critical lesson for us to learn because uncontrolled or unrighteous anger can be so destructive. … Today’s anger is very manageable. Yesterday’s anger is dangerous, because it has fermented.”
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Photo by Tim Seed
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