If you are feeling isolated…

Our lives are more isolated than ever before.

We separate from others behind a wall of electronics. I was walking in my neighborhood on an early summer evening and there was no one there. Nobody on the road; nobody on the street. Even stranger was that there were only a few lights on inside the homes and those were the flickering blue lights from the television sets, phones, and computers. It was like the Village of the Damned.

I was walking with my dog, Tiny Tim. I was so grateful for his presence. He anchors me. He helps me realize that I am connected. Even on an empty street. That’s what our relationships with animals do for us. 

We have an indelible connection with the other creatures of the earth. Animals can be a way to relate to the world in a positive and productive way. The animals that are the closest to us—our companion animals—are gifts. Sometimes they come at the exact moment we need them. Sometimes we are there to help them when they call out for help. Cats and dogs are the only animals who have chosen to bond with humans. We have captured and caged others, domesticated some, but other animals do not come to us by their own free will.

Connecting with other inhabitants of the planet can be a way out of this maelstrom. These are hard times. When we pay attention to the animal world, both physical and intangible, we find a path outside ourselves.

In my travels I have been with bats, horses, tarantulas, octopus, cats, butterflies, cows, pigs, and many more. I have discovered a strong connection to each individual animal. It isn’t just an awareness of their physicality. It is knowing them as sentient beings who have emotional connections like we do.

If you are feeling isolated, walk in a park. If you are fortunate enough to live near a wildlife area, hike in the wilderness. Go to an animal sanctuary. Volunteer at an animal non-profit. Connect in any way you can with the animals around you. The powerful force of animals will help you heal.

I’d love to know your connection to animals and how it helps you face these troubled times.

You can write me a note at kate@speakingofanimalsoutreach.org.