God's creatures make the heart smile
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"Let your every creature serve you; or you spoke, and they were made. You sent forth your spirit, and they were created; no one can resist your word." (Judith 18:14)
Over the years my family has christened me with a variety of nicknames but one of my favorites is Mrs. Dolittle. Obviously, I am fond of animals. It has always been that way. Even as a child I would sit still for what seemed then to be hours in order to entice birds or squirrels or chipmunks to eat out of my hand Most people could accept that, but it was my habit of talking to the animals that earned me my nickname.
Animal stories are abundant in my house, especially since we apparently lived on the escape route from a local shelter. Somehow word seemed to be out among the furry crowd that our house was safe haven where they would get food and water and, of course, lots of affection. If they were lucky they might even become members of the ever-growing family, which included a variety of wild animals as well, rescued by my children and brought home for nursing.
One morning in particular was memorable when I went out on the deck to get some dog-food from the small garbage can we used for a receptacle. I reached in to scoop out the food and was scared to death when my hand hit a warm, furry body. I yanked my hand back and peered slowly over the rim of the garbage can to see a baby possum - obviously as frightened as I was. He was frozen, playing "possum" as they say.
My squeal of fear turned to squeals of delight and my children came running.
"Isn't he adorable?!!!!" I insisted, lifting him out carefully with heavily gloved hands.
"Mom," said one of my sons patiently, "that is probably the ugliest animal I have ever seen."
"How can you say that?" I asked incredulously. "Look at that face! He's precious!"
My son rolled his eyes up in his head and nodded knowingly to his younger brother who went in the house to retrieve a cardboard box. In a few hours the possum was back in the woods, looking like he had a little too much to drink, but none the worse for wear.
Sometimes it seems God sends these beautiful creatures to console me when I am sad or lonely - like the morning doves who come to visit whenever I go outside to pray over something difficult, or the chipmunk who unwittingly ran across my feet one day and then stopped and turned to look at me as if to say, "Oops!", or the unexpected visit of ducks this morning swimming placidly on the stagnant water of my little above-ground swimming pool. On all these occasions my heart had ached for one reason or another and these brief encounters made my heart smile by reminding me of the love and goodness and joy of our God.
These encounters always remind me a beautiful quote from Victor Hugo: Separated lovers cheat absence by a thousand fancies which have their own reality. They are prevented from seeing one another and they cannot write: nevertheless they find countless mysterious ways of corresponding by sending each other the song of birds, the scent of flowers, the laughter of children, the light of the sun, the sighing of the wind, and the gleam of the stars - all the beauties of creation."
It is such a joy for the soul to be able to experience God in this way, as a Lover who never tires of sending the beloved the song of birds, laughter and light, and even homely baby possums!
_____________________________________
Mary Morrell is the auther of Angels in High Top Sneakers from Loyola Press.
Contact
Diocese of Metuchen
http://www.diometuchen.org
NJ, US
Mary Regina Morrell - Associate Director, Office of Religious Education, 732 562-1990
mmorrell@diometuchen.org
Keywords
God
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