Let's Go and Take the Fish Too

On a sunny day, sitting in a tree overlooking the Nokasippi and Hay Creek valleys, I am struck by the beauty of the world. The late fall colors and the smell of decaying leaves erodes my desire for nomadism. The view, deer present or not, comforts me. But the tree-top view and poor vision hide our distant, disturbing future.

My simple mind can not grasp the significance of life’s predicament--is it a dilemma, an unpleasant potential, or just natural? I assume, for several reasons, that the planet will someday no longer support the diversity of life once present. Humans, however evolved, present Earth’s life an opportunity to colonize other worlds. In fact for all I know, humans might be the best multicellular species to have come along to move along Earth’s produce.

This thought I find ironic, for we have done the unthinkable in our drive of conquest. We have manipulated it all, but the true realty value is now greatly diminished. Why are we here? Was it a quirk of evolution? What is our purpose? The answers from a now-deceased Polish Pope were no help to me--the strength of one’s belief does not decide the facts. Perhaps the questions are best unanswered or not asked. Survival has always been the mission. Each individual and species tries to keep life going, like a long game whose players despise losers.

Here on Earth the game is now half over, and the important players keep looking for new venues. Survival for us has always depended on foresight, good luck, and adaptability. I tell my children that the future is out there. When I leave the woods and travel about our domesticated landscape, the urge to move returns. I am willing to leave now.

We will take numerous species with us, most intended, some not. I ask that we take some fish. Fish and humans go way back. Our want for meat made us. We have co-evolved. Deer would be nice to bring as well; we could at least take their code. Our descendants would appreciate our nostalgia. We are life’s best hope, and our survival depends on a challenge of this magnitude. Let’s get going, time is running out. I’ll pack the fish bowl.