I woke up this morning feeling pretty good, grabbed my car keys, and headed out to pick up some groceries. The sun was hitting the windshield just right, and I was humming along to some old radio tune. Then, out of nowhere, a small squirrel dashed from the bushes right under my front tire. I heard that sickening thump and my heart just dropped into my stomach. I pulled over, hands shaking on the steering wheel, and looked back in the rearview mirror. It was gone. Just like that, a tiny life ended because I decided to drive to the store at that exact second.
I sat there for a good ten minutes, feeling like a total monster. I kept thinking, “Why today? Why that squirrel?” Most people would tell me to get over it, that it is just a rodent, but I couldn’t shake the heavy feeling in my chest. I ended up canceling my grocery run and drove back home slowly, staring at the road like I was expecting another disaster. I spent the whole afternoon digging into what this actually means when something like this happens. I am not a super religious guy, but I believe things happen for a reason, and hitting an animal felt like a massive slap from the universe telling me to wake up.
Facing the Guilt and the Message
I started looking back at my life over the last few months. I realized I have been moving way too fast, just like my car. I have been rushing through work, barely talking to my family, and ignoring all the small warnings that I am burnt out. Killing that little creature felt like a forced stop sign. In many traditions, accidentally hitting an animal means you are out of sync with your surroundings. You are moving at a pace that the world can’t keep up with, or you are so stuck in your own head that you have become blind to the life happening right in front of you.
- The Wake-up Call: It is a brutal reminder that life is fragile and can be snatched away in a blink.
- The Direction Check: Sometimes it means you are heading down a path that isn’t right for you, and the universe uses a shock to make you turn around.
- The Sacrifice: Some old-school folks believe an animal taking a hit for you is a way of absorbing a larger “bad luck” that was meant for your head.
I spent the evening sitting in my backyard, just watching the birds and feeling crappy. I realized that for me, it wasn’t about some ancient curse. It was about connection. I had lost my connection to the simple stuff. I was so worried about my bills and my boss that I forgot I share this planet with other living things that have just as much right to be here as I do. I felt like the squirrel was a mirror showing me how reckless I had become with my time and my energy.
I decided to do a little ritual to clear the air. I didn’t chant or anything weird, I just sat quietly and apologized to the spirit of that animal. I promised myself I would stop rushing. I would actually look at the trees when I walk and slow down my car, even if I am late. It sounds silly to some, but since I made that mental shift, the heavy weight in my chest started to lift a bit. It’s a hard way to learn a lesson, and I still feel bad about that squirrel, but I think I finally understand that we aren’t just driving through the world—we are part of it, and every “accident” is a conversation we’re having with the universe whether we like it or not.
