Don't get too close or you may get bit

I couldn't believe my eyes. Outside the door was a momma skunk and three little babies. Lori said she thought they had taken up residence in the shrubs outside our side door. My first thought was that this was cool. Here we are in the city and we have wildlife visiting our yard.

Once the cobwebs cleared I began to realize this could be a big problem. Skunks, raccoons, squirrels, deer and even an occasional bear has been sighted in Norwich. We tend to think of them as cute and dream about having them as pets. The truth is that having them around could be dangerous. Never mind the bites and rabies. These animals were never meant to be domesticated.

It made me think about certain vices that seem more appealing before you get hooked on them. I began smoking when I was seventeen years old. My high school girlfriend smoked and claimed it helped her lose weight. I believed her. Within a year I was hooked and it took me fourteen years before I could quit.

When I had my angioplasty in 2003, the doctor at Yale New Haven said my blockage was most likely caused by the fact that I was a heavy smoker for all those years. Even though I had quit in 1989, the effects had touched my life and compromised my health.

That is exactly what sin does. It looks appealing and seems reasonable until it bites you. Then its too late. It doesn't matter if it is alcohol, drugs, greed, promiscuity or something else. There is always a price to pay and it never lives up to to the first appeal.

Wild animals belong in the wild or, at the very least, in a ZOO. When it comes to sin and temptation, it is best to never give in. That way you don't have to deal with the consequences.

Cal