Fearless or Oblivious

By Brenda Black

Peanut, the resident runt pig is gaining ground. And she has established herself in the Black animal kingdom. Quite possibly she even ranks herself high among the two-legged variety, after all she directs our days by satisfying her feeding schedule. She's graduated from the garage to an outdoor pen and now to a place I like to call "Pig Palace" since she thinks she is the princess. On occasion she gets to wander the estate outside of her fortified compound. It is then when I see just how very independent and fearless is the princess.

As I was weeding the garden, she checked in from time to time, to root a little beside me. Then, as quickly as she appeared, she disappeared, bolting and snorting between tender corn stalks and blooming green bean plants. She is just beginning to move earth with her little impressive snout. And she's following that nose into all sorts of experiences. Some of them funny and some right down deadly.

Without any thought for her miniscule size, Peanut decided to cruise under the barbed wire and explore the cow lot. I watched from the near distance, still straddling the bean bushes, to see what would happen. Two calves and a cow curiously cocked their heads as the short black and white critter crossed in front of them. Peanut was oblivious to the giant black bovine that lurked inches behind her, its head four times the size of her entire body, and lowered fully to the ground. She just kept sniffing. The smaller calves cautiously crept closer for a better view. When Peanut turned around, she faced a wall of black eyes and a sea of black legs.

Inexperience offered no warning. Peanut stepped up bravely and faced that big ol' cow nose to nose. Just as they touched, each sprung back, alarmed by their obvious differences. She walked away unscathed and continued on her precarious path.

A few days later, I allowed her another moment of freedom only to find her this time bravely traversing the horse lot. The subjects were bigger and significantly more attentive than the cattle ever dreamed of being. I didn't hesitate this time to intervene, but I had to use great wisdom and care. While Peanut is quite friendly and people focused, she is still a pig with the habit of protest. Every time we pick her up, she squeals as if being tortured. Much like a toddler, her exaggerated wails instantly cease the moment she's released and her feet are back on the ground. Understanding my piggy's personality and tendency toward such antics, I knew better than to scoop her up from in front of the horse's sharp hooves. One high-pitched squeal at such close range might endanger the both of us when he surely would spook and either strike or bolt in surprise. I know my horse's personality as well.

Like a mother standing beside a busy highway and watching her child cross the street, I anxiously coaxed Peanut out of the pasture; out from under dangerous hooves and back into safety. Once again, she survived without any awareness of the risk she just took.

I know people who go through life that way. They are so focused on the immediate thing in front of their nose, that they don't see the big picture, whether it's in relationships or business affairs, or their true purpose on earth. Some of us just fix our eyes and minds on the immediate, the urgent, the most fascinating or the most distressing issue at hand. We become so absorbed with our own agendas, we fail to comprehend that there is something bigger at stake in this life we live.

You see, it's one thing to be fearless or innocent, like Peanut the princess pig. It's another to be oblivious - when you know the dangers and pitfalls, when you know the path around the pen and you still go on, pleading ignorance.

Wisdom comes from experience. Let's hope we learn our lessons without meeting our giants unaware.