I’m attending one of my best friend’s baby shower this week—she’s barely 19, and due in July. She’s intelligent, gorgeous, and a real people-person. She has the potential to make something of herself, more than just a wife and mother. But she dropped out of school last semester, and I doubt she’ll be returning. I’ll never approve of her choices, but I hope I’ll always be able to support her, whatever comes of them. She’s sacrificing her entire future for the sake of this child.

When asked to portray my idea of the true meaning of love, I think of the unconditional devotion of a mother to its child. I think mothers are the most loving figures in human society. They give up everything for their children. When my sister was young, my mother lived in a trailer and worked two jobs to support her, when she would have been just fine on her own if she’d given up her daughter. I know she’ll always be there for us. Financially and emotionally, mothers are the most self-sacrificing individuals I can think of.

In the case of the American bison, mothers are known to form rings around their offspring when threatened by predators, risking their own injury to protect the calves. When separated from the herd, a mother will go out of its way to defend its calf, even detaching itself from the safety of numbers. What other prey animal consistently does this? Deer or horses certainly wouldn’t face off an entire pack of dangerous carnivores to save their offspring, especially when they’re alone and outnumbered.

I love wolves as much as the next person, but when I see a pack of wolves hunting bison, I’ll always root for the bison. XD I just think they’re awesome animals. You don’t tug on superman’s cape, you don’t spit in the wind, you don’t pull the mask off the ol’ lone ranger, and you don’t mess around with Big Momma Bison. >.> *cough*



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WOW. Long description. Sorry about that dudelets. I just really enjoyed this. e.e EXCEPT FOR THE FREEZING PART. It kept freezing up my program, making me lose hours of work. It sucked.

Adobe Photoshop CS. Lost count of actual hours put into it DUE TO FREEZING. WTF$&&7@#$%^&*(DINOSAUR$%^&@#$.

Photographs by myself, Monty Sloan, Kipp Schoen, and Grant Faint used as references. I’m loving Lone Elk State Park for the great bison photography opportunities, and helping to increase my appreciation for the bigass critters (and their fierce protectiveness of their offspring—I got chased off by more than one mom while trying to take baby pictures!).


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This is an entry for 's contest. If you love me, you'll go vote for it, or something. ^__- Though I'm not quite sure how her voting system works... >_>;



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EDIT

Well, I won the contest. Thanks so much to those of you who voted for me! I really do appreciate it. I'm not sure if I'm worthy of the substantial prize that goes along with it, but I really am grateful. Thanks again, guys!