the new soph - elated and relieved |
A couple of weeks ago, we took Sophie to the zoo for the first time (she's 15 months old - says a few words, but doesn't really talk yet). For the first part of the visit, she was very uncharacteristically nervous and quiet. I wasn't sure what was wrong, but later I've come to believe that she was afraid for her life - and why wouldn't she be? That residuum of instinct that remains in us humans was telling her nonverbally (and accurately, I suppose) that those leopards and lions and wild dogs wanted to eat her for lunch!
The turning point was her ride on a carousel - on a fiberglass tiger with a pleasant smile. She had a good time, and from there went straight to the petting zoo, which was pure bliss. Was this zoo visit transformative for her? A living symbol of human triumph over the rest of the animals, along with an invitation to trust her intellect over her instinct? |
