What Have You Learned from Animals?
June 2, 2008 · Print This Article
Our new June group writing project has just been announced! Read more about it on our permalink for the project and over at Robert Hruzek’s site. He’ll be hosting us this month from MiddleZoneMusings.com.
Check it out! We look forward to what you come up with for this one.
Also, Chris Cree and Marcus Goodyear are working hard on the next newsletter. Look for it in your inbox tomorrow. We always welcome feedback.
What have (I) learned from animals?
That’s easy. I’ve learned to lighten up, i.e., to take myself at ONLY my actual weight, which is different from a mindless “cheer up, stupid” voice/comment or (worse) command.
I’ve learned through observation and (?) compassion something similar to what Arlo Guthrie sang about … namely, someone else always has it worse off than I, me, or you, thou.
Thou. The respect of others. Animals have it. Can’t live without it. In fact capitalize on respect, as when Aretha sang about it RESPECT
Animals also know greater than cognitively what humans write of with many letters…. take your pick.
ak
Good luck with gwp
Stumbled this:
http://jakeshare.stumbleupon.com/review/22151561/
It’s funny you should ask. I just posted something last Saturday on this very subject. Hope I can copy and paste. If so, here it is:
Our cat grows more fearful with each passing day.
As a kitten he was bold, courageous, adventuresome, and ever curious. Maybe because nothing had scared him yet.
Now he tends to hesitate at anything unfamiliar or out of place. He can be timid, skiddish, overly cautious, and, at times, downright fearful.
I can relate. As a child I was filled with faith and wonder. As time went on I became a gun-shy adult.
“I tell you the truth,
anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
[Mk 10:15]
The bumps and bruises of life made me wary. Constantly barraged by crime in the media and warnings of inherent danger made my nerves a little edgy and anxiety a daily obstacle. Depending on people and trusting in the things of this world was fertile ground for fear to grow. Each failure and mistreatment developed a new fear.
Weathering trials with Christ began to recapture that childlike faith. Growing closer to Him reversed years of damage brought on by misplaced trust - relearning the simple faith of a child.
Simply believing,
Honestly Loving,
Abandoned Joy
Because I know Him and have placed my life in His hands, there is hope for me. I wish I could say the same for my cat.
He said to his disciples,
“Why are you so afraid?
Do you still have no faith?”
[Mk 4:40]