<I think sometimes He made it
all just because He knew I would enjoy it this much.>
That is a nice sentiment. Fortunately, my own life is such that I do experience a lot of deep and sincere gratitude, and awe, for the content of my life and for the interesting, often serendipitous, ways it has unfolded.
I too enjoy pets and other animals. I spend a lot of time enjoying nature in the outdoors.
One of the ways in which I can connect with other human beings is to bring my own interests and joys into the lives of others in ways that are helpful and accepted.
For example, when my dad was here, and during his time as a county legislator in New York State, one of his special interests was the quality of care in nursing homes, in long term, extended care facilities. He knew that the presence of pets in such facilities often made a remarkable difference to people who had been, for the most part, isolated from the vitality of the "outside world," and the opportunities it offers for the experiences of loving and caring. Before he left office, he had seen to the establishment of such a program for pets, and even larger animals kept on the grounds, for the county facilities. I remember going to these places with my dad and spending lovely, often quite touching and remarkable, times there. My dad was not a selfish man. By this I particularly mean, he was without ulterior motive.
Myself, I have had a lot of experience as an AIDS volunteer, visiting with and helping to attend to, homebound people in the later stages of the disease. Some time ago, I was instrumental in establishing a volunteer program that uses volunteers who were also animal lovers with experience. It is a very successful program. How? It allows people who are dying (the program has been enlarged to cover all people with any terminal illness)to keep the pets they love, often the only living creatures other than the volunteers, who have not abandoned them. The volunteers walk the dogs, clean the kitty litter, the bird cages, the back yards....whatever. They take the animals to their veterinarian appointments, shop for the food...whatever it takes to help keep a loving life intact Thus, through a love that is simple and unconditional, precise measures can be enacted that enrich the lives of all people.
<I think sometimes He made it
all just because He knew I would enjoy it this much.>
Jane, no one is special in God's mind. We are never given anything for our use exclusively. My dad used to say: " I only know of one way to love God, and that is to love my fellow man." There are two ways to love:
1. To privately, in secret, without a word said, uphold the sacredness of the deepest reality of every human being.
2. To affirm that spiritual vision of the other person in precise, practical ways that demonstrate this unconditional love.
I am saddened, Jane, by all the inner turmoil, anger, and hatred that is so evident in most of your postings. Surely, you must suspect by now, that something is not right here, something that has nothing to do with the world outside the hell and grief within your own mind. I also detect a quality about you that is clearly opposed to all this hurt and sickness, something of your individuality that is not a part of all this...something that longs to shine and participate in the world in loving, not fearful ways....if only it were not so terribly oppressed by the hurt and vengeance.
As you must guess by now, there is so, so very much in your postings that I am in fundamental disagreement with. Also, I think you will probably understand that I don't feel personally threatened by you in any way, and so this posting is not about that. All it is about really is that I have chosen to participate in this forum to some extent, as my time and energy allow, and since that is my choice I must do so responsibly
Best,
Charliss
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