A Red Squirrel's Courage: Believe in Yourself

Let me say up front, if your experience is that life is a cake walk, then this post may not be for you. Most of us have had to deal with the kind of adversity that does one of two things. When faced with adversity, you can choose to give up. Or, like Lt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell who, in the original Top Gun movie, dreamed of being the best fighter pilot, you can push through the heartache and the fear and come out a stronger and more resilient individual on the other side. 

What dream do you have for your life? What adversity have you had to face as you've worked to make that dream a reality?  If you've ever had to fight tooth and nail to bring your dream into reality, here's one denizen of the Adirondack spruce-fir forest community with whom you might be able to relate.

I'm impressed by a red squirrel's ability to survive against insurmountable odds. In my own little corner of Adirondack spruce-fir woods I've seen red squirrels fearlessly chatter away at a hungry barred owl as well as a prowling bobcat. In areas where red and gray squirrels cohabitate, I've witnessed a red squirrel send its larger bushytailed cousin hightailing it to safety on multiple occasions. With its fiery personality and unhinged tenacity, it's as if red squirrels manage to survive by sheer will. I imagine that most red squirrels would have the courage even to try to stop a volcano from raining on their dream of being the rightful owner of the Adirondack spruce-fir forest!

Red squirrels are an unlikely success story of a species, at least here and in the far north. They have an extremely high metabolism and a small body size that is not well adapted for the cold. But here we are, in the Adirondack Park where it's not uncommon to see negative temperatures continue for weeks on end in the frigid winter. Like some other small mammals, red squirrels do have a thin layer of brown fat that surrounds vital organs providing some internal insulation during the winter. However, their year-round success is tied mostly to their feisty and energetic nature. They just don't give up. During Summer and Fall they gather thousands of conifer cones for their winter storehouses; enough to keep their metabolic furnace burning hot on the coldest darkest night. On top of that, they defend their forest home with a level of courage I've seen from few other animals.

When I look into the eyes of a red squirrel, I see a member of the forest community who believes in itself enough to have the courage to make its dream a reality against all odds. During your next walk in the Adirondack Park, let this little neighbor encourage you. Believe in yourself. Don't give up on your dreams. You can do it!