The Buddhist and the Possum

Craig and I are very fond of fresh herbs in our cooking. For a while, some of our favourite herbs had outlived their life cycles so it was time again to rejuvenate our stock and buy some new seedlings. After a day trip to the nursery, we'd picked up lots of different favourite herbs and fresh soil to help them grow. I even rolled up my sleeves and harvested a tray of earth from my own worm farm. All in all, it was quite an effort but we were rewareded with lots of freshly potted herbs, all looking very cheerful on our back porch.

Within a few days however, I noticed that our coriander seemed to be missing a few leaves. Being a Buddhist, I'm not big on insectisides and thought that maybe a family of bugs might have moved in. I shrugged it off as I figured there was plenty of coriander to go around. Yet as each morning went by, there were fewer and fewer leaves and one night, I heard a loud "Thud". When I investigated, I discovered that my poor coriander had been tipped over and looking rather sheepish back at me, was a possum perched in our Umbrella Tree. Ah ha! So that's what's been going on.

Now our house is surrounded by lots of native trees and we've even planted some grevilleas and kangaroo paws out back because we were so fond of natives. Naturally, it was the perfect home for a Possum. We'd seen a Possum family once before up in our Weeping Paperback but hadn't thought too much of it. Well Winter was upon us and the Possums were hungry. What better luncheon than some freshly planted herbs, such as coriander and parsley?

This was all very well but the herbs were still relative young seedlings and really couldn't survive the ravages of a hungry possum. The possum was speedily killing both the coriander and parsley. So I got myself onto Google and found a natural deterrent - boiling some water with chilli, garlic & fish sauce. Supposedly, the strong smells really get up the nose of possums and they avoid your herbs. I sprayed the mixture onto the herbs and it sorta worked... but I think hunger got the better of the possum and it wasn't long before it was back at the herbs. My poor coriander died. The parsley looked like it had participated in a Lose-your-leaves-for-charity-event. So then I tried moving the parsley and another susceptible herb, the sage, to the front porch. This worked for a few weeks... until last night that is. I was watching TV when once again, I heard that all-too-familar thud but from the front door. And sure enough, looking rather sheepishly back at me was the possum, hanging from the front gutter.

I explained that it really had to give my poor herbs a break. They really weren't getting far. The possum vaguely considered my request but I think it was mostly disappointed that its foraging efforts had been spoiled. It escaped swiftly using the down-pipe, scuttled across my front lawn and back up the Weeping Paperbark. I consoled myself that at least it wasn't nesting in the roof.

I picked up my tipped-over spring onions and scooped the dirt back into the pot. Pondering about what to do, I remembered what Venerable Robina once said when a student had asked about a Pest problem. "Honey, don't think of it as someone else's pest. Think of it as Your Pest. These are Your Pests. They belong to you!"

See, this is such a potent teaching on karma. The reason this Possum was eating from my herbs was because in a previous life, I must have stolen / benefitted in some way from this Possum's food. This was my Karma, My Possum. This situation belonged entirely to me and now, I had to decide what to do.

I could have called in Possum catchers to remove the possum. But they would have evicted the poor thing from its hollow, release it about 500 metres from its cosy home and no doubt, some other Possum would moved in to take its place. After all, we were offering prime real estate. I took a big breath - turned to my fridge and began raiding the vegie bin. I found some old apples that I would either have thrown out or donated to the worm farm and also half a carrot, an unwanted scrap from dinner. I sliced them all up and put them on a plate, left it at the trunk of the Weeping Paperback. I wasn't sure how this was all going to pan out but this was My Possum, and I had decided to feed it something more substantial than parsley leaves and spring onion roots.

The next morning, I left bright and early for work at 6:15am. urious, I checked the Paperbark and discovered there was hardly a single morsel left on the plate. Apple slices, carrots and all - Devoured. I couldn't help but smile. This small act of generosity lifted my spirits and I tell you what, I had the most loveliest day at work. Sometimes, it takes looking at a situation differently to help open our hearts and remember what's of value in life - Sharing.

So now I have a friend called Herbie, the Hungry Possum. And while I have no intention of fattening Herbie with a buffet every night, I will offer Herbie His or Her share of the occasional scraps. Some people want to co-habitate with Dogs. I co-habitat with a possum called Herbie. And thankfully, Herbie is a great teacher in Patience and Generosity.

Yours truly,
Demi.