When squirrels land, they land just like little superheroes. Honest to goodness.
I know. I’ve talked about squirrels before. But I just love them. I don’t care if they do sit on our bird feeders and eat. They get hungry like the rest of us.
Squirrels are amazing if you ask me. Just take some time to watch them. They are like little superheroes scampering around in the treetops. I can almost see their little capes fluttering in the wind. They fly through the air with the greatest of ease.
And here is the thing. Squirrels seldom perish from falling despite this great propensity to dart around high places. It is all science.
Squirrels have tiny bodies and weigh in the range of 400 to 700 grams. (A pound is 453 grams). This is what gives them substantially lower terminal velocity.
If they do accidentally miss their branch and start to fall? Well, a squirrel can regulate its descent and survive a collision with the ground. It is all because of its large surface area to body mass ratio. In most cases, a squirrel will survive a fall from any height. Little body weight/large surface area.
But wait. Squirrels understand this. Yes. Since they are very smart animals, squirrels only live in trees that are manageable in height. As a result, squirrels will never be seen living in very high branches. Like, super high.
Do they ever fall from trees, then? Yes, they do. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. And I panicked. But typically, they make it. I’ve read that squirrels only lose their lives when they are impaled by a limb. Or of course, taken by a predator.
Apparently, and contrarily, squirrels are typically born with the ability to avoid falling. When falling, they often extend their legs wide open and expand their bodies like parachutes to combat air drag. That way, they have more time to concentrate on their landing location. (Do you think they scream on the way down?). Regardless, when they sprawl out, it enables them to land gently. On their feet. Uninjured. Most of the time.
Oh, how I love those squirrels.
We humans could probably learn a thing or two from them.
During those times when we fall.
Not in the literal sense. But. Figuratively. We fall many times in life. Mostly when we experience any type of disappointment. It could be small or large. Small. Like burning your toast. Or. Large. Like losing a job. Or the death of a loved one.
If we could just be like squirrels. They extend themselves wide and expand their bodies to combat the forces that are pulling them down. In the same way, we can do things to overcome that downward drag, like practicing self-compassion, acknowledging our feelings, reflecting on the situation, and then focusing on the positive things around us or in us. Maybe.
No, we can’t always be superheroes. But we climb again. And get back to flying.
Like our squirrel pals.
Amazing creatures.
Them. And us.
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“It’s not the falling down that defines us, it’s the getting back up.” – Mary Pickford
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“When you fall, you rise, and when you rise, you soar.” – Matshona Dhliwayo
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“Fall down seven times, get up eight.” – Chinese Proverb
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Fall, they might. But OH, how they land!
