Entries from February 2008 ↓
February 25th, 2008 — Living Fully, Taking Risks
So long as we love we serve;
So long as we are loved by others,
I would almost say that we are indispensable;
And no one is useless while they have a friend.
—Robert Louis Stevenson
Until one has loved an animal a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.
—Anatole France
I’m not sure the words “an animal” is needed in Anatole France’s quote…one’s soul can also be awakened by loving humans, too…especially babies. But it is true that often children learn how to love and be compassionate by connecting with an animal. The above photo was taken by Gregory J. Smith working with Children at Risk, a program to help street children in Brazil. He says,
“It’s so typical of these kids to attach themselves to stray animals whilst on the streets. Probably the only innocent love they feel they can receive and give back without negative consequences.
During the last couple of months I have had to attend not only the street children’s needs, but also tend to the collection of animals they bring along with them from the streets.
We have had umteen dogs, cats, chickens, spiders, mice and even a horse!!! ”
Even if they’ve been neglected, children need to connect, to love.
St. Francis Project–Final Week, Last Lines
To me that need to love is what the last lines from Bob Clubb’s St. Francis Project are about:
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen
As I’ve said before, I don’t believe in a theist god, so I don’t believe in eternal life or that we will be rewarded by some higher being for loving and giving. I believe the awakening of the soul that these actions bring is reward enough.
Stray Dogs and Human Hearts
Other examples of this need to love and connect can be seen in Iraq, in the interaction between homeless dogs and some of the American men and women serving there. Members of the U. S. armed forces are not allowed to have pets in a war zone, but this rule is often violated because it goes against human nature. Iraq has a multitude of stray dogs looking for companionship and a home. And service people can’t always refuse them.
Photo of homeless dog and marine by
panzerwaffen43. Used with permission. Owner reserves all rights.
The story of Marine Major Brian Dennis and Nubbs, the abused dog he rescued, is one example of the power of love and loyalty. Major Dennis nursed Nubbs when he was on death’s door, and when he left the area Nubbs tracked him down to his new location 65 miles away. After a lot of red tape Nubbs is now in California waiting for the major to join him after his tour of duty is over. It’s a story well worth reading.
The story of Hero, shown on the left, has a sadder ending. He was adopted by Army Spc. Justin Rollins the day before Rollins was killed by a roadside bomb. Hero is now safe in New Hampshire with Rollins’ parents, a precious connection to their son.
The Prayer of Peace
Once again The Prayer of Peace (often called The Prayer of St. Francis) is:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen
Life can be harsh and heartbreaking at times. but we’re not helpless. We can’t do everything, but we can do something if we don’t close our eyes and our hearts. Love and caring can hurt at times, but the alternative…putting on blinders and having a heart of stone…to me would be infinitely worse.
What do you think? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.
Thanks to Robert, bikehikebabe, Al, Ellen, Jonathon, and Truthteller for commenting on last week’s post.
February 18th, 2008 — Following the Path, Living Fully
What this world needs is for the strong people to become more loving and the loving people to become stronger.
–Piero Ferrucci
Stay curious and open to life. No matter what happens keep learning and growing. Find what you love to do and find a way to share it with others.
—The Cheerful Monk
The joy of loving unconditionally is my favorite emotion, so this week’s lines from Bob Clubb’s St. Francis Project resonate with me:
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
The question is, “How can we learn to love more unconditionally?”
In a comment to The Power of Forgiveness Ellen put it well:
I truly believe I am (trying to be) a loving and compassionate person towards others. But somehow, more and more it seems that that is an impossible thing to do, if I can’t be that forgiving and loving towards myself.. And yes.. the secret is in ‘not having to be perfect’.
Two of the great truths in life are: We don’t have to be perfect to be lovable. And if we can’t give ourselves unconditional love, we won’t have any to give to others.
Notice the picture of Tiffany above. She has just graduated from her training as an assistance dog and will go on to be a companion and helper to a disabled person. She’s clearly a happy and wonderful dog who will make a big difference in someone’s life. Just as clearly, she has been loved and well cared for by other humans. That works great for children and for dogs, but as adult humans we’re responsible for giving ourselves the care we need. And we have to do that well if we want to help other people or animals.
It’s as we’re always told on airplanes, if the cabin pressure falls and the oxygen masks come down, put yours on first. Only then will you be able to help someone else with theirs. It’s also like Lake Lanier in Georgia. Millions of people in the Southeast depend upon its water. But because of the drought it is starting to run dry. It needs to be replenished if it’s going to continue being a good source.
So how do we keep our supply of love replenished? My primary methods are free-association journal writing, getting support from my own inner guide/supporter and doing volunteer work that feeds my soul. When events become more overwhelming I turn to friends and professionals for help. What do you do? This site is about sharing, so please tell us your thoughts and experience in the comments section.
Thanks to Shamelle, bikhikebabe, Larissa, Ellen, and Sterling for commenting on last week’s post.
February 11th, 2008 — Happiness, Living Fully
These three pictures are of Clyde, a red heeler mix at the local animal shelter. This first picture was taken when he first got dumped at the shelter…left overnight at the door, crammed in a crate with a female red heeler mix. He’s shy and wary, not knowing if he was safe.
I took this second picture when I first interacted with him. He wanted to get close and connect with me, but he was still feeling vulnerable. He was nervous about being touched, so I spent a while massaging him. He trembled while I did it, but didn’t resist. Even though his tail was between his legs most of the time, he trusted that it was all right. Towards the end of the session he started smiling. Ah! So that’s what petting is all about. When I did it again the next day he started asking for more.
In this last picture he’s running around having a good time. He’s just a young, happy dog enjoying life. I belong to the local Friends of the Shelter, and we’re now running an ad for Clyde in a statewide newspaper. I’m taking the calls so we can find a good home for him.
To me that’s what this week’s lines from Bob Clubb’s St. Francis Project are about:
[Lord, make me an instrument of your peace….
Where there is hatred, let me sow love…]
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
As I’ve mentioned in About Cheerful Monk, my life purpose is a modest one. I simply want to be able to answer yes to two questions:
- Have you found joy in life?
- Have you brought joy to others?
I’m grateful to Friends of the Shelter for making the answers so easy for me.
Thanks to bikhikebabe, Adam, Bob, Ellen, Al, Sterling, SH, Annette, Adebola, Peter, and Supreme Directory for commenting on last week’s post.
February 4th, 2008 — Following the Path
The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
– Mahatma Gandhi
If we really want to love, we must learn how to forgive.
– Mother Theresa
I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.
– Martin Luther King, Jr.
If we practice an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, soon the whole world will be blind and toothless.
– Mahatma Gandhi
As I mentioned last week, I’ve joined Bob’s St. Francis Project, which means each week in February the participants will write a post on part of the Prayer of St. Francis. This week’s lines are
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
I’m grateful to Bob for suggesting this project, because this prayer has been one of my favorites since I discovered it years ago.
At the time I tried to share it with a friend of mine, but she would have none of it. She was an ardent feminist and believed the poem perpetuated the idea that women and minorities should passively agree that they were inferior and born to be servile. They shouldn’t rock the boat by trying to assert their rights. To her the poem advocated weakness. I don’t agree.
Nelson Mandela
I can’t think of anyone stronger than Nelson Mandela refusing to be crushed by his 27 years in prison. (This picture shows one of the cells he lived in during that time.)
Instead of giving in to hatred and the desire for revenge, he understood what he wanted for South Africa and what he needed to do:
If there are dreams about a beautiful South Africa, there are also roads that lead to their goal. Two of these roads could be named Goodness and Forgiveness.
As a result, he helped end apartheid, became the first President of South Africa to be elected in fully representative elections, won the Nobel Peace Price and became an inspiration to millions of people around the world. No, I don’t regard his belief in forgiveness as weakness.
Other Examples
Mahatma Gandhi is another famous example of the power of love and forgiveness. His philosophy and practice of non-violent resistance liberated India from British rule.
He also inspired countless others, including Martin Luther King, Jr. of the United States.
In that conversation we had years ago, my friend said she and her friends needed to be angry to take action. Apparently they were afraid that forgiveness meant accepting the status quo and that love wasn’t a powerful enough motivator for action. Clearly Mandela, Gandhi and King demonstrated that this doesn’t have to be true. But as Gandhi pointed out in the first quote in this post, it does take a strong person to let go of hatred and bitterness and be motivated by love. “The weak can never forgive.” Forgiving means letting go of wanting to change the past and instead focusing on building something better. It isn’t easy, and sometimes it can take years to deal with our pain before we can free ourselves by forgiving.
One of the most touching stories I came across this past week was by Rachel Jones, a correspondent for National Public Radio. In Lessons From Cairo, Illinois, she writes of her first experience with prejudice as a six-year-old and of her emotional reaction to that experience and to the later disintegration of Cairo because of racism. As a teenager she wanted to leave and put Cairo behind her, but her attitude is different now:
I’m proud of the fact that my own family rejected the hatred Cairo could have instilled…I’m proud of the fact that I’m from Cairo, despite all the wasted potential, broken dreams and dashed hopes that town embodies. I’m a survivor. Cairo taught me, and still teaches me, how pointless and soul-destroying hatred is.
Amen to that. Forgiveness is simply the decision to be an instrument of peace and to choose love instead of hatred. We don’t have to be great leaders to do that. We have plenty of chances in our every day life to make that choice.
What about you? What is your experience with forgiveness? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.
Balloon photo by against the tide via Flickr. Creative Commons license.
Photo of Mandela’s prision cell by tom_collins via Flickr. Creative Commons license.
Photos of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. courtesy of Wikipedia.
Thanks to Ellen, Al at 7P and bikehikebabe for commenting on last week’s post.
Photo by smiteme. Used with permission. Owner reserves all rights.
