God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:25
Yesterday many congregations celebrated the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, a monk and preacher born in the 12th century. Francis was known for his compassion for the poor and for animals. One legend surrounding Francis tells of a wolf that was terrorizing the people of a small town. In desperation, the townspeople asked Francis to help them. Through his kindness and innate connection with animals, Francis was able to help the wolf and the townspeople come to an understanding: the wolf would no longer harm the people of the town, and in return, the people promised to feed and care for the wolf for the rest of his life. The legend ends with peace and harmony for all.
The congregation I attended yesterday didn't have a blessing of the animals service, although I know that many others did in honor of St. Francis. Fittingly, though, in the afternoon Adam, Filo, and I went to a festival called Woofstock. Held in the same location as the Durham Farmers' Market, Woofstock was like a farmers' market/carnival for dogs. There was a frisbee competition, free nail trims, and lots of vendors, where you could purchase everything from toys to hand-painted bowls for your dog. Filo loved the agility course, where he jumped over obstacles and crawled through tunnels. He received enough free samples of treats that we won't have to buy him any for months!
It was a fun afternoon for all of us! When I got home, I read a beautiful post by Lutheran pastor, professor, and author David Lose on why dogs are our best friends, and I heartily agreed with what he had to say. (You can read the post here: http://www.davidlose.net/2013/10/why-dogs-are-our-best-friends). It includes a wonderful video that powerfully captures the love that develops between a little boy and a dog, which is definitely worth the few minutes that it takes to watch. I cried and felt very grateful for the amazing dogs who have shared my life.
After I watched the video and finished crying, I had some time to think about why I love Filo (and dogs in general) so much. There are so many reasons: Filo has an enthusiasm about life for which I have rarely seen a match. He loves meeting people, dogs, squirrels, and anything else that moves. He is excited to see everyone who crosses his path, wagging his tail and sometimes, to my chagrin, jumping up to say hello. Filo doesn't care who you are, what you do, what you're worried about, how you've messed up, or what you are wearing. He just wants you to love him. Filo also has a wonderful habit of getting as physically close as possible to people when they are sad, anxious, angry, or not feeling well. When I'm upset, Filo always makes me feel better by curling up in my lap or nosing his way into my space with his bright brown eyes and tail wagging.
I know that I'm not alone in feeling this way about my beloved dog friend. We have much to learn from our non-human companions: about living with abandon each day, taking a risk to greet everyone who crosses our path with an open heart (or at least a friendly tail wag), being honest about our emotions, and chasing our dreams. (Case in point: Filo has never actually caught a squirrel, but he doesn't let that stop him. He keeps trying on every walk we take. I might not always like it, but he is persistent, and he keeps his dream and hope alive, day after day!)
Filo and other animals teach me lessons that I can't learn from classes or books or in words. The lessons cover things like hospitality, making time for play every day, and excitement about having new adventures. Also, trusting that basic needs will be met, that people are basically good, and that I can learn something about a person who is wearing black pants that are about to be covered in fur from my golden retriever's enthusiastically wagging tail.
Upon creating animals, God proclaimed that they were very good. To me, they are one of God's great gifts to humanity, and a continuous source of abundant goodness who enrich our lives and have so much to teach us. What have you learned from the animals with whom you share your lives? How would you be different without them? If you don't share your life with a pet, what have you learned about life by watching other animals?
