By C.L. Harmon
Nature is often cruel. But only so in its efforts for survival. As we experience nature around us, we have taken those elements that we see and used them as guides as to what is acceptable in human actions and beliefs. For example, the concept that the strong survive, while the weak perish.
However, nature also provides examples of species that will nurture the young of other species who have lost their mother. They will care for these animals with compassion and tenderness just as they do for their own offspring.
There are other examples of creatures who are wild and aggressive in nature, but when raised by humans with love and affection, will form bonds of trust and devotion to those humans. So, what is the dominant tone of direction that we are to take from nature?
Perhaps it is not that the strong devour the weak, but that love devours the desire for survival through cruelty. When we show compassion and love to others, we ultimately rise above any inclination nature has provided and place others above ourselves. Could it simply be that we are tasked with overcoming what is primitive in order to be lifted to a new natural desire of preserving ourselves through loving others?