Fuckin' Caterpillars

[KidKelko]

I was at work today, cleaning up a construction site. None of you probably know that there is a bad tent caterpillar infestation in the West Sound of Washington. Anyway, the little things were everywhere on the site. While I was loading wood into the back of a truck, I noticed as I threw a board down that I crushed a caterpillar. This absolutely destroyed me inside. I feel like a murderer. We were also burning scrap, and I couldn't help but think of all the little caterpillars that were being incinerated in the flames. A horrible way to die I think. So I picked through each individual piece of wood, to make sure that there were no caterpillars on the boards. One of the contractors saw me doing this and told me to just dump the loads into the fire. I explained that I was killing the bugs and I coldn't do that becasue it made me feel horrible. She just said, "Well get over it." I think that that is one of the most ignorant and cold and wrong ways a person can be. It's not about the caterpillars. It's about my respect for life, and the sanctity I place on all life, even pests and plants. I walked off the job, and I don't think I'll go back. Please try and look past the surface of what was going on and look into the meaning of the situation. I adhere to a strict almost Buddhist philosophy when it comes to life. I wouldn't ask a Christian to spit on the crucifix, or a Muslim to not pray. Or make a Hindu eat beef. Or make a Jew eat Pork. It's just not right. Am I being unresonable when I take my beliefs into everyday life? Is it not ok to want to practice the core belief in your moral structure, even at the (small) expense to others? The way I see it, I was getting the job done, just slow. Now the job won't get done at all. Am I in the wrong? I wasn't offended by the boss's words, so much as her attitude with me, like my beliefs weren't valid, and that I should conform to their standards of living and practice. I won't do that, not for anyone. I'll die before I intentionally kill anything. Anyone share these views? Are they extreme?