"I freely give all sights and sounds of nature I have known to those who have the grace to enjoy not man-made materialism but God-made beauty.
The magnificent Arizona sunsets I have watched from my enclosure, I bequeath to all who see not only with their eyes, but with their hearts. To humans who are tired, worried or discouraged, I bequeath the silence, majestry and peace of our great American desert. To those who walk the trails, I bequeath the early morning voices of the birds and the glory of the flowering desert in the springtime. To the children who have enjoyed seeing me, hearing me purr, and watching me turn my somersaults, I offer the precious gift of laughter and joy. The world so needs these things. And lastly, I bequeath my own happy spirit, and affection for others, to all who may remember me and my museum where for three years, I did my best to show people that I truly liked them."
-- Epitaph for George L. Mountain Lion (Feb 1952 - Mar 1955) Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ
The Ancient One
The magnificent Arizona sunsets I have watched from my enclosure, I bequeath to all who see not only with their eyes, but with their hearts. To humans who are tired, worried or discouraged, I bequeath the silence, majestry and peace of our great American desert. To those who walk the trails, I bequeath the early morning voices of the birds and the glory of the flowering desert in the springtime. To the children who have enjoyed seeing me, hearing me purr, and watching me turn my somersaults, I offer the precious gift of laughter and joy. The world so needs these things. And lastly, I bequeath my own happy spirit, and affection for others, to all who may remember me and my museum where for three years, I did my best to show people that I truly liked them."
-- Epitaph for George L. Mountain Lion (Feb 1952 - Mar 1955) Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ
Oct 14, 2009