Friday, December 30, 2005 @ 11:00 am
Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened -----Anatole France
went to library ytd. borrowed 3 couples of books. lol. so instead of watching law and order SVU, i was reading 'Animal Angels' instead. a really sweet book =)) the book has many stories of animals saving their owners, animals showing affection for one another across species, animals helping humans, animals helping animals.
it was an extremely heartwarming book, and so comforting to read late at night just before crawling in to bed. as i flipped through the pages, i saw pets trying to wake their owners when a disaster strikes, a dog forced a man to return to his home when he sensed a seizure would strike the man. however, the most touching story of all is probably this incident in a pet shop.
A pet store in Fresno featured a glass-walled bird room containing a large tree whose branches served as bird perches. Various types of parrots had staked out certain branches as their own territory. When a small green parrot was introduced to the aviary, the other birds shunned the young newcomer. When he tried to find a spot on the branches, the established birds vigorously repelled him. The green parrot gingerly tried each branch, but each time he was chased off by the other birds, who flapped their wings, screeched, pecked and charged at him. When the discouraged little bird came to the last branch, he faced an imposing long-billed red macaw.
The little parrot timidly climbed to the macaw's branch and began to edge slowly toward a bit of empty perch near the larger bird, all the while keeping a wary eye for any sign of hostility. Suddenly, the red macaw began to raise his wing; the little bird froze. This had signalled the beginning of the territorial screeching and antagonistic display in every case so far. And the macaw was a much bigger bird.
But as he unfurled his large wing, the macaw looked the little parrot in the eye. What the smaller bird saw, or hoped he saw, was not hostility, but friendship. He would have to take the chance. After only a moment's hesitation, the little parrot cautiously edged over and took shelter under the macaw's large and welcoming wing. The macaw then cuddled the little bird close.
As I indulged myself in the little but significant acts of animal kindness, I felt a surge of warmth I have long not felt. It was like a homecoming to a long lost paradise. I felt that I was reborn into a world full of simple love and affection. There was no need for sweet talk or extravagant gifts to show love. It's the simplest actions that speak very much louder than words. Pets are always there for you even when the rest of the world had walked out of your door. Sometimes I wish that I can be in this circle of love between pet and owner, but sometimes, some things are sadly impossible.
So I just keep myself informed of these random acts of animal kindness. Because through their eyes, I see a love most true and most sincere.
Nothing living should be treated with contempt. Whatever it is that lives, a man, a tree, or a bird, should be touched gently, because time is short. Civilization is another word for respect for life ----Elizabeth Goudge