Chi Surrounded in Nature

The squirrel I had found back in the month of November has found herself out in nature. It is where she belongs, but her departure was not intended by any means. I've been known to take Chi outside on my shoulder. Generally, she is quite satisfied with perching there until we wander our way back inside. The most she ever wandered off to was 5 ft away sniffing the items on the porch. However, yesterday I took her a bit farther from the porch than she was accustomed too. Jason came out to meet us and she playfully jumped back and forth from his shoulder to mine. At some point something frightened her and she jumped to the ground. Next thing we knew she took off across the street, behind a building and up a tree. I was terrified. She had never been outside for long and least of all for the night.

We tried to coax her down, but she refused to budge. After dark fall there was little we could do. We retired for the night. I woke up earlier than normal to go in search of her. I found her hiding in a tall oak tree behind a house at the end of the street. I offered her pecans and called to her. She ignored me and continued to hide in the tree where she was considered safe. Finally, she moved out of sight and that was the last I saw of her today. I'm not sure if she will come back or even knows where "home" is. What I do know is that she made it through the night and that she is at the age where they commonly leave the nest. There is a good chance her natural instincts will kick in and she will survive.

However, I still worry about her and always will. I was, in a sense, her mother. I dread the idea of her not finding a shelter against the Winter weather or having enough food. At this point there is not much I can do except  pray and leave food out for her. So that is what I shall do. Hopefully, I will see her again. She won't be hard to tell from another squirrel. She seems to be the only gray squirrel in the neighborhood as all the others I've seen were fox squirrels. If she comes to my feeder or climbs a nearby tree - I'll know its her.

Where ever you are Chi, you will always be in my heart. I love you.