  Spiritual
This week: Animals Are Blessings Edited by: SophyBells  
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Hi, I'm SophyBells ~ your editor for this edition of the Spiritual Newsletter.
The Rev. Scotty McLennan, author of the book Finding Your Religion, compares humanity's innate need for spiritual searching to climbing a mountaain. In his view, we are all endeavoring to climb the same figurative mountain in our search for the divine, we just may take different ways to get there. In other words, there is one "God," but many paths. I honor whatever path or paths you have chosen to climb that mountain in your quest for the Sacred.  |
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Animals Are Blessings
On the first Sunday of October, the closest day to the Feast of St. Francis, some congregations observe a “blessing of the animals” service. My faith community has one sometime in October or early November, and it has become a favorite service for many of us - especially because we get to bring our "well behaved" pets to church! 
When my parents brought me home as a newborn, my big brother David, and my big sisters Betsy, Lady, and Coco were there to welcome me. David was a nine-year-old towheaded boy who had little time or patience for a new baby. Betsy was a six-year-old brunette who thought I was her baby. I’m not sure how old Lady and Coco were – I do remember Lady was a redhead – a Pomeranian, and Coco a cross-eyed Siamese cat.
From the time I was born until the day I left to venture out on my own, our home had either a dog or a cat – often both. Lady, Coco, Katrina, Lucy, Charlie Brown, Spook, Dorkie, Sunshine, Sammi – my canine and feline siblings grew up alongside me and nurtured my love of animals. I probably have as many childhood photos taken with them as I do with my human siblings. They did not live as long as the people in our family did, and my heart broke each time we lost one.
It was only natural that as soon as I was on my own between college and grad school I would find a place to live where I could have a pet – within days of moving into my guesthouse on top of a mountain, I brought puppy Jake home from the Humane Society. He was my best friend and companion for two years, until I moved across the country for grad school. I left him with my landlords, who loved him as much as I did, and though they told me to come back and get him when I graduated, he thrived under their care. So I left him on that mountain where he lived to the ripe old age of 17. In grad school, soon after Mr. Sophy and I married and move into married student housing, we brought an elderly cat named Grisbella into our small apartment, where she lived out her remaining year and a half of life. Dugan joined us as a kitten in our first apartment after we graduated – followed by Sheba, our gorgeous white husky mix, mere days after we moved into our first house. Kayla and Daisy joined our family later.
Animals have and continue to enrich my life in so many ways – and I know they do for many of you as well. Whether you currently have a pet or not, you know of what I speak when I say that they, more so than any human in our lives, endure our shortcomings with such calm acceptance and never-ending forgiveness, as they teach us something of our humanity, and even manage to show us how to love and be loved. Occasionally I recite all of their names in my mind – a litany of remembrance – each one recalled with amazement that my heart could be broken so many times and still manage to hold just as much love for yet another pet – not to take its place, but to reside next to it. My heart is quite full of that love, with room for even more.
Perhaps that is why, of all the Catholic saints (even though I am not Catholic), I am most drawn to Saint Francis, patron saint of animals and ecology, whose feast day is observed on October 4. Francis, who left his wealthy family behind and chose a life of poverty and service, believed in the sanctity of life, including all of creation. He loved nature, and spent most of his time in it, believing it was through creation that the Creator communicates with us. He considered animals to be his brothers and sisters, and there are legends that wild animals had no fear of Francis and even came to him seeking refuge from harm. There are several stories in which Francis intervenes directly with nature. And others where he offers a sermon to the birds of the forest. What made St. Francis unique was that traditional Christianity tended to treat animals and creation itself as “less than.” But Francis believed people had a duty to protect and enjoy nature as both stewards of God’s creation and as creatures ourselves. So he and his followers, both men and women, cared for all creatures great and small - they blessed and were blessed by the animals in their care.
Have you experienced a blessing from an animal? When my father was dying in the Fall of 2002, I went to California for several weeks to help my mom and sister care for my father in home hospice. I took my yellow lab Kayla with me, so I wouldn’t be so lonely without Mr. Sophy, and because we knew she would be a comfort to me. She ended up taking care of all of us, and the nurses even referred to her as our hospice dog. On the afternoon he took his last breath, my mother, sister, niece, and I sat in a circle around his bed, Kayla calmly at my feet. It was such a sacred moment for all of us, and Kayla’s presence with us was a mutual blessing – for us and for Kayla and even for my father. Years later Mr. Sophy and I did the same for Kayla, holding her in our arms as she breathed her last breath. It was truly holy ground – heart breaking, sob enducing, mysterious, life affirming holy ground.
Have you experienced a blessing from an animal? Write about it and share it with me. |
Below you'll find some spiritual offerings from other WDC members. Please let the folks know if you read their piece by leaving a thoughtful comment or review. If you have something you would like me to highlight, please do share it with me, thanks!
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Here is a response to my last newsletter "Spiritual Newsletter (September 20, 2017)" about "Non-Striving:"
From shepherd46
Yes, I can think of an activity that I would rather not do; it would be visiting with my sister who has been selfish all her life and listening to her and trying to help her. I love her and I always will but it is hard to visit with someone who for years has only focused on her needs and wants. Instead, I may trying to be mindful of the visit. I may try to look beyond the selfishness and appreciate the fact that she is still alive, that maybe something I say or do might lead her closer to God.
Very good newsletter, Mr. Sophy
Mr. Sophy says thank you! And I say, wow - what an awesome way to deal with your next visit with your sister. I have a brother who sounds very similar, and will take your words to heart.
    
From Apondia 
I particularly liked your ability in this article to express a clear view of what mindfulness really means to our lives.
Glad you enjoyed it!
From Quick-Quill 
This NL hit me right over the head. I have work to do to get my now returned manuscript ready to re-publish. The rework is daunting to me and I find other needful things to do rather than sit in a chair in front of a computer for hours at a time...HELP! I need to get back to work.
Breathe - be in the moment. Enjoy it for the sake of what it is, not what it could be.
From Innerlight Author 
Dear Editor, practice mindfulness to its full potential in private or cooking a meal the aroma of wine as it intermingles with the meat and the muffled voices as the family sets the table. Thank you for letting me see what mindfulness means to you.
What a lovely image, thank you!
From Craig Henders 
Tomorrow I leave for my first spiritual retreat in Ecuador; this is exactly what I needed at the right time.
Hope it is a wonderful experience!
From ~Brian K Compton~ 
Got some really deep insight from Mr. Sophy his week...about needing to walk the dog? in the rain??  Thoughts transcend? Still absorbing, but love the insight...intellectualism. Need to ice my brain now.
So glad you enjoyed it, thanks for letting me know!
Please keep your comments and suggestions coming! Until next time! SophyBells |
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Spiritual: October 18, 2017 Issue [#8550]
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