Jul 7 2008

Joe the Buddhist – post 134

I can’t kill anything.

Now that might sound strange but I’m very serious.  I can’t bring myself to smash a fly or a spider that I might find in my house.  When I find an unwanted critter I run and find a small cup or something and a piece of paper.  I’m quick and bring down the cup over the guest and then slide the paper under the cup.  I then lift it the whole thing up and take it out side, away from the house and set it free.  If I can’t do that, then I do what I can do try and get the critter out some other way.  If I had a mice in the house, I would get humane no kill traps.  I just couldn’t stand to do it any other way.

I believe that everything living deserves to live as much as me so who am I to squash bugs and such.  It makes no sense for me to kill a bug just because it annoys me or I don’t like it.  I do slap mosquitoes though, as a bite from them can make my kids sick with that West Nile disease.  I’ll do it to protect my family.

My wife says I’m very Buddhist is my thinking ^_^  I even try to teach my daughter this way of thinking.  Leaving bugs and creatures to live their lives and just observe them.

I wasn’t always like this, but since I made the change I feel more at calm when I find a spider in my house… and I hate spiders.  How about you?  Do you help critters find safe exits from your house or do you put your foot down on the subject.

Photo from SushiCam