Mama Nature

Story in yesterday's paper: several 'primitive' tribes on an island off India survived the tsumani, despite the fact that they would normally have been fishing at that time of day.
Why?
Because they fled the shores for higher ground, well before the waves arrived.
Said one scientist: "They have a sixth sense we don't possess."

He may have the science degree, but I beg to differ. I'll bet you that we do have it.

We've just allowed it to wither on the vine.

Consider how modern homo sapiens lives. We work & live under artificial light whether the sun is up or not. We breathe filtered air, we drink bottled water. We keep our vehicle windows rolled up whether we're in exhaust-producing traffic or not, and whether the temperature is 10 below, 110 in the shade, or a pleasant 75. We bundle up if the temperature goes down just a few degrees, and turn on the a/c if it gets above 70. We head straight for the antibacterial soap if we get a little dirt on our hands.

We are terrified of sunlight -- skin cancer! We're terrified of rain -- my hair! We have to get our weather reports from TV, radio, or the computer; even if we do go outside and "brave the elements," we have no idea what any of it means. I am the only person I know who sees a difference in the sunlight at the spring & fall changes of season. We have divorced ourselves from the mother of us all -- Mother Nature, Mother Earth.

Am I saying that we should live like the stone-age tribes? Heck, no. For one thing, most of us wouldn't survive. For another, I have no desire to live in a world without antibiotics.

But have we lost something in the bargain?

You betcha.