Eastern Cottontail Rabbits: "Detour"
A decision must be made: do I do this for me or you?
On the path to destinations well-known, a choice presented:
Continue forward, disturbing those you meet or detouring.
A decision must be made: do I do this for me or you?
I took these photos June 22, 2025. Usually, I follow this trail to the edge of the park and hike South through the woods in search of owls. That morning, I saw these two Eastern Cottontail Rabbits on the path.
I stopped. Both were relaxing and I felt guilty for disturbing them. I decided to turn back and take a different path. I wished them a peaceful day.
English - Korean:
East/Eastern = 동/동부 = dong/dongbu
Cotton = 솜 / som
Tail = 꼬리 / kkori
Rabbit = 토끼 / tokki
Eastern Cottontail Rabbit = 동부솜꼬리토끼 / dongbu-som-kkori-tokki
Neil, you walk in the world like a beloved guest, leaving little trace of yourself. Only your deep appreciation. This encounter reminds me of the last lines of Mary Oliver's poem, "October" :
.
One morning
the fox came down the hill, glittering and confident,
and didn’t see me—and I thought:
so this is the world.
I’m not in it.
It is beautiful.
.
Resting, presence aware. Rabbits decide not to run. But not trust the moment.