On Friday we took the Club kids to the zoo for the afternoon to traipse around through the heat seeing all the different wildlife. We only had a few hours so, being with the boys group, we wanted to see everything that has teeth. We saw bears, cougars, lions, gorillas, gators, anything that could kill something. For the most part they were all pretty lazy just chillin in the shade, hiding from the heat and the endless gawkers. The polar bear was the exception, escaping the heat in his arctic pool, showing off for the crowds with his ball. The difference between the zoo and a place like Etosha Wildlife Park in Namibia is that at the zoo the animals are in the cages and the people wander around. In Etosha, it's the people who are in the cages (cars) while the animals wander around. This is the first time I've been to a zoo since I first went to Etosha. The animals themselves are no less captivating. I'm sure I could sit and watch them for hours. But I found myself feeling kinda sorry for the animals held captive in cramped enclosures for the viewing pleasure of endless tourists, especially for the solo ones like the polar bear who had no one around to play with. It makes me glad to have a purpose in life. It reminds me that I'm here for more than just eating and sleeping and entertaining. It challenges me to make the most of the time that I have. It encourages me to look beyond myself and make a difference in the lives of others. And if I get all that from a trip to the zoo, then maybe these animals have more purpose than it originally seems.
