Word of the Day: Habitat

hab-i-tat:
(noun)
1. the natural environment of an organism; place that is natural for the life and growth of an organism
2. the place where a person or thing is usually found

My habitat, as it seems, is a two-piece desk with two large file drawers and a pull-out keyboard tray. Here, the air is cool as it blows from the ceiling a/c unit, and the ambient sound is that of papers shuffling and phones ringing. Just on the other side of the wall, however, is a whole different environment.

Beyond the glass wall separating me from the outside world, I can see squirrels chase each other and fight over shelled goodies discovered at the base of a large pine tree swaying in the foothill breeze. Clouds move lazily across the sky, sometimes shielding the sun and casting an odd darkness over the ground. A few steps further from the man-made environment of filing systems and office machinery, a whole new world is waiting.

In the garden, the habitat is dry yet lush landscape of trees, shrubs, vines and oh the flowers! All shapes and colors attract swarms of six-legged wildlife to flit about the vibrant petals. Watch your step or a fast-moving lizard might meet his end, and a family of raccoons has been caught playing in the gray light of early morning.

A stagnant pond is habitat to small tadpoles, water moss and a patch of neon lily pads hiding in the shade of a covered bridge. The corner of the garden harbors a silent, stately redwood forest reaching 50 feet into the air, the groundcover made of fallen boughs and bark.

And just beyond the Museum walls, lies another habitat altogether: a bustling suburban street visited by motorists, bikers, runners, telephone repairmen, moms with jogging strollers and others.

So many habitats, just in this small corner of the world. What does your habitat look like? Think about it, or create your own online.