Tag Archives: conditional love
‘Fido’ and ‘Fluffy’—Opportunities to Be the Love, Life, and Energy—God Is
‘Fido’ and ‘Fluffy’—Opportunities to Be the Love, Life, and Energy—God Is
We are given so many opportunities to be the Love, Life, and Energy—God Is, within our life. Opportunities to be the unconditional, connective, unburdened, and unlimited love that is the essence of being the Love—God Is. Opportunities to recognize the presence of God in all life forms and to treat it with honor and respect, whatever form it takes, be it human, animal, plant, and others, that is the essence of being the Life—God Is. Opportunities to experience the healing and transformation that occurs when we connect to light and truth about God, ourselves, and all beings, which is the essence of being the Energy—God Is.
One of these, involves the opportunity to have a ‘Fido’ or ‘Fluffy’ or any other furry or not so furry friend to share our life with. These wonderful gifts serve us in so many ways. They give us a sense of comfort and companionship when licking our face, sitting on our lap, or climbing into our bed. They help us to laugh, distract us from our cares, or lighten our mood, when they play with us, others, or by themselves. They offer a sense of compassion when they come around us when sensing our distress or meeting our needs to feel protected. There are so many more experiences we can relate to in their service to us. A service that St. Francis of Assisi fully recognized in his communion with the animals and nature that surrounded him.
But, there is one more very important way they serve us and it is within the service we offer to them. They give us an opportunity to be the best version of ourselves. They give us an opportunity to experience the best version of life. They give us an opportunity to be in full contact with our spirituality and Divinity. It is within their presence and our service to them that we are given an opportunity to be the Love, Life, and Energy—God Is.
Remember, the love that surmounted any of the difficulties that caring for ‘Fido’ or ‘Fluffy’ asked of you within meeting their needs. Remember, the feeling of connection as they progressively earned a place in your heart and your family. Remember, when you were willing to do anything or go anywhere to help them when they weren’t well. They took us beyond the limitations of human love which is often conditional, often non-connective to some, often experienced as burdened, and often containing limits as to how much can be offered to those being loved.
Remember, when they taught you the presence of God in all of life and not just humans. Remember, when you came to honor, respect, and treat them and all life equally. Remember when you began to recognize that their purpose was beyond your own desires for entertainment when witnessing their confinement in cages and zoos that violate their instincts and the millions of years of evolution that shaped those instincts. They took us beyond the human limitations of respecting life according to some position on the species continuum and arbitrarily conferring status within the human species based on a person’s race, religion, gender orientation, or ethnicity.
Remember, how you grew as a person, as the Godness in your being, made contact with the Godness in their being. Two souls no longer separated by designation of being human and animal. A healing and transformation brought forth when being able to look beyond the human realm to see life in its greatest Divine truth—as One and in Unity. They took us beyond the darkness and ignorance of our earlier thoughts of separation from them to the brilliant light of truth connecting us to all beings.
I am so thankful to all of the animal members of our family that graced me with their presence and service over the years. And in giving me the opportunity to learn of the Love, Life, and Energy—God Is, within myself and my service to them. To Soot, Zeke, Bailey, Spanky, Pepper, Elvis, Ginny, Cotton, Caspar, Zack, Shiloh, Emma, Patrick, Diego, Mila, Bradley, Daisy, Madison, Madeline, and Regis, you all remain forever in my heart for what you gave to me and in helping me to experience the best of what life and I have to offer, within my service to you.
In peace and love,
Nick