A warning to myself: what happens when I neglect my responsibilities

I found a dead mouse in a small puddle of water at the bottom of a bucket. It's the bucket I keep outside the door that I should be using for compost. It has a cover that I should have replaced. But I have been lazy with my composting and lazy with putting things where they are supposed to be. And the result is a sad, needless death of a scared mouse.
It is a solemn reminder of our power as humans to manipulate the environment. And a reminder to myself not to become too busy to take care of the life that benefits from my care and dies from my negligence.
A life is a life, whether it's a mouse, a chipmunk, or a possum. And a home is a home, whether it's a spiderweb, an anthill, or a hole in the ground.