Bunny vs. Humans (Round One)

Last night, I went out and checked on my garden.   I found a medium sized rabbit sitting in the midst of my lawn, nibbling on grass and weeds.   I tried to have a long talk with it.   I admired its beauty and I admired its bravery.  I even encouraged it to nibble on the grass and weeds, but leave my garden alone.   We could be friends,  I thought -just don't touch the garden.   It just sat and watched, it's nose occasionally twitching.   Earlier in the week, after my cucumber seedlings went missing, my son and I had teasingly made remarks about bunny stew:

"Please, my garden you should eschew

Or you shall be made into bunny stew".

This morning, however,  I felt sickened.   I found a rabbit and a small mouse carcass around the house.    I doubt it was the rabbit from last night.   It was probably a few days old, but for the most part it had been stripped bare.   The mouse had been a rather fresh kill.   I felt guilty.   Had I unwittingly invoked something which was killing the cute fuzzy suburban creatures?  Kill them before they eat my garden-suburban warfare?   Or was this just nature's way?   It's most likely the latter, but being the softy that I am, I feel guilty.   I realize that the rabbit fed something else, and that there is probably an overpopulation of rabbits in the area.  I saw the flies and the ants eating away at the carcass.  They, too, needing food.   I understand it on a  rational scientific level, but sometimes, watching it and feeling it in action are two very different things.   This is what I am trying to wrap my head around.  Perhaps, its just the recognition of it, too.  It's not something we think about on a normal basis.   Later today, I will try to gather some rabbit fur, and leave an offering for the spirit of the rabbit.  May the rabbit spirit find its peace.

Blessings!
Stonegiver