It was a lovely evening for a walk. The sun was just setting providing the most glorious sunset, and the air was warm and inviting. It seemed like the perfect time to get out, walk the dog, and have some bonding time with my husband.
By the time we left the house the sky was already dark and the moon had risen, so I grabbed the flashlight, knowing that the road we would be walking on was uneven and also knowing that country living does have it’s fair share of wild critters. With my husband, the dog and a flashlight in hand we all started off on our walk.
“You don’t need that flashlight” he said, “the moon is bright enough to see where we are going.”
“I have to turn the light on. I have to see where I’m going!” I said. With one quick click the path was illuminated and my worst fears were affirmed; we were face to face with a skunk.
“Ya, but you never know what you are going to run into out here, maybe a bobcat or a coyote.” I replied.
“Oh my gosh! Shut the light off and enjoy the walk, we’ll be fine.”
So I did. Everything in my being said, “turn it on, turn it on”, but trying to break through my patterns of fear I kept it off and cautiously trotted along.
I made ¾ of the way around the pond before I just couldn’t stand it any longer.
“I have to turn the light on. I have to see where I’m going!” I said. With one quick click the path was illuminated and my worst fears were affirmed; we were face to face with a skunk.
I screamed and started to run the other way, which freaked the dog out who ran towards me, thank god. My husband on the other hand calmly started to just back away.
I think the skunk must have just woken up as it looked at us and calmly turned it back and lifted it’s tail. It was like watching a movie in slow motion – turn, lift, then…nothing. It seemed like it was just too much effort for him to release it’s spray. To say we ran the rest of the way back home laughing is an understatement, but I can tell you that it was my husband who used that flash light like it had never been used before!
Moral of this story is obvious.
Always follow your intuition or…
It can really stink – As I See It.
