So there We are, attending to RhinoBusiness, when what should loom onto the horizon but an Elephant. Ta-da, Elephant.
Elephants are all very well, but they have very little sense of humor, if you ask Us. Small doses go a long way when it comes to Elephants. They are not into pranks, for sure, for sure.
Rhinos probably have a few shortcomings, but then again, maybe not.
Ask an Elephant.
Rhino memories stick with Us, each like an amulet, with associated connotations and scents. Each memory bead is a full-circle story unto itself, filled with individual meaning. Some may shine or glitter more than others, but each is a part of the collection We each hold dear. Yea, cling to, defining Us.
Speaking of which, isn’t it odd how We hold onto memories that stink? Why is that?
We assume that your home libraries hold many volumes on The Rhinoceros. Naturally, why wouldn’t they?
Rhinos can’t read, but then, these books are not meant for Us, so We don’t mourn the limitation. Packed with facts and opinions and research and statistics, they must be honored for what they cover and the effort they represent.
We at Your Inner Rhino are doing our best to address the areas that do not hold these worthy authors’ attention.
No, no- save your applause. It is entirely our pleasure.
We Rhinos (soloists that We are) spend a lot of time talking to ourselves. Sometimes We coddle or berate or persuade ourselves; it varies minute by minute. Anyway you slice it, there’s a lot of chatter inside.
What confounds Us is that We are mostly as poor at listening to ourselves as We are at listening to anybody else.
Perhaps Words are not what Life is all about.
Rhinos do not die of old age. No critter in the Wild does. We each press on until something interferes with our activities. If We avoid predation or hunger or disease or accident, We still will face a time when We can no longer eat enough to keep going.
Then We are recycled. That is how it is in the Wild. It seems a perfectly planned system to Us. Knowing all that makes it clear to each of Us that our time is finite.
It also makes it clear that We each will go in an elegant way; We will be useful no matter what. Naturally.
We find that awareness comforting.
Some opine that We Rhinos chew too much. These critics seem to have a weak understanding of the necessity of our ingesting as much as possible. In the Wild, this “possible” is not always endless, so Rhinos need to get ahead of the game whenever We can. Big bodies demand big fuel consumption.
While chewing is Essential, it is not always Intellectually Absorbing. It is while We attend to this needful effort that We have time to compose a range of alternative experiences. These are mostly jolly imaginings, since We like to keep up our spirits; Merriment aids digestion. You see our point here, doubtless.
Our state of mind is an assignment to which Rhinos must attend. And We do.
It’s too bad that what goes on in Dreamland does not make itself memorable enough to ponder during the day. We do have remarkable dreams, but when We wake, all We may recall is the overall impact of the dreaming, not so much the details or specifics of the dream. The same is often true of daydreaming. The slate just wipes itself when We aren’t paying attention.
So if there is that alternative consciousness going on all the time, We must have alternative selves, right?
Just what are We up to over there, huh? Who is that Rhino?
Occasionally We will have the strange impression that We are involved in a game of some sort. The rules are unknown, and the stakes are mysterious. The other players, assuming there are some, all seem to be missing. We just have to fumble on as best We can, in the hopes that the disorientation will distill itself into something comprehensible.
These occurrences are far more attention-getting when one is awake. They happen then too, you know. Oh yes.
Your Inner Rhino 