What Makes Me Cry

Taken in Paris after the November 13, 2015 attacks.

What makes me cry?  In alphabetical order, life, movies, music, and terrorist attacks.

World of Pain

Picture of a mama groundhog attacking one of her young 'uns.

Can anyone really doubt this is a world of pain?  Anyone over the age of 30, and of sound mind, should admit this is, in fact, a world of pain.  I'm in pain right now: in more areas than one.  It's just another day for me.  Once I thought of the title and subject of this post, I tried to imagine all the pain that all the people and animals were feeling at that moment.  I was overwhelmed by what I felt.  At any given moment, the people and animals of this world are feeling incredible, incalculable amounts of pain.
I was watching the news the other day.  A lot of doctors don't want to practice medicine in the state of New York, becasue the cost of malpractice insurance is so high in this state.  Apparently, several states have put caps on the amount of money someone can collect for "pain and suffering."  According to what I heard, New York does not put a cap on that, so that's why doctors have to pay so much money for their medical malpractice insurance in NY.  They interviewed a man who proposed NY limit "pain and suffering" damages in this state to $250,000.  I couldn't help thinking that I've endured much more than a quarter-million-dollars' worth of pain.  But, in my case, no one person is responsible for all of my pain.  Most of all, LIFE is responsible for my pain.  Life is pain.  To live is to feel pain.  Right from the beginning, what do doctors do to get babies to breathe?  They cause them to cry from pain by spanking them.  Welcome to the world.  Get used to it.  There's much more where that came from.
Every single day, I see more evidence that I've done the right thing by not bringing any people or animals into this world.  This is a world of violent cruelty.  Even the natural order of things has animals being eaten alive by others.  It makes me wonder if there are truly civilized, peaceful planets out there.  This one certainly isn't either of those things.    

Bad Groundhog Mommy

What happened to your cheek, baby?

Betsy is a bad groundhog mommy.  As far as she is concerned, her daughters can't go out while she is out.  One of my favorite groundhogs ever, Runty, cautiously approached her mother.  I saw trouble brewing.  Sure enough, she chased after Runty.  Runty ran like her life was at stake; maybe it was.  Betsy chases all of her daughters around.  I guess they're not cute enough for her anymore, and maybe she thinks they should leave the area.  It's a real shame.  Young groundhogs have so much to fear around here.  Of course, yesterday was Independence Day, which meant that idiots were setting off fireworks.  I hate that crap.  I saw the poor, scared groundhogs.  Why must we terrorize the animals of this world so much?
Sometimes the young groundhogs cry when their mommy is chasing them.  I don't blame them.  They have so much to fear.  The damn out-of-control kids around here seem to want to terrorize animals more than anything else.  Thank goodness I'm here to protect them.  I've told kids to leave animals alone twice, and I'll do it as much as I need to.  If their fathers have a problem with that, they better watch it.  I don't care how tough he thinks he is, I won't back down when it comes to protecting animals.  It's wrong for the little bastards to chase and throw rocks at wild animals.  I'll put the fear of god into cruel kids if I need to.
I feel bad for the stray cats in the area, but they scare the hell out of the young groundhogs too.  They're so cute, but they live in a world that frightens them so much.
Betsy is not the only bad groundhog mommy; Sheila was too.  I saw her attack one of her youngsters.  This is such a violent world.  Kill or be killed, they say.  I'm all for peace.  I'll attack no person or animal for no reason.  But if I need to defend myself, or another, I'm ready.  I'm in shape, and I know how to fight.  I won't start trouble, but I'll end it if I have to.
The groundhogs are smart.  I watched Betsy run to the fence which marks the end of the apartment complex.  Then she went under it and into no man's land, which is a narrow wilderness area that stands between this apt. complex and a Wal-Mart.  She'd be safe there.  I wonder if a groundhog dug that hole that goes under the fence.  They are good diggers.  I love 'em all.