We can choose to answer.

Yesterday morning I got up early to take my dog, Tiny Tim, for a walk. It has been really hot in Boulder for the past week and we need to get out by 6 AM to take advantage of the cool mornings.

We went to the park as usual and then headed home. I was carrying a poop bag. I alway take bags home to put in the trash. This morning I decided to drop it in someone else's trash. No reason. I was two blocks from home.

There were several trash bins on the road. Why I decided to use the bear proof one I don't know. I lifted the lid and tossed in the bag. Then I looked inside the bin again. Staring up at me were two juvenile raccoons. I looked at them and they looked at me. I swear they looked at me with puppy dog eyes. You know, the look your dog gives you when she wants something really bad. Their little bandit eyes were pleading with me to do something. They had gotten themselves in a real fix.

They almost looked embarrassed. It was going to be 100 degrees that day. They would have perished from the heat inside the closed bin. It was simple to get them out to safety. I turned the trash bin on its side and out scampered two very confused raccoons. They headed for the bushes across the street and were gone. Tim and I went home.

How these guys got into a bear proof bin I will never know. I do not know why I decided to go to that particular bin to do something I had never done before. There is an undeniable, strong connection between and among all living creatures. How it works I don’t know, but it is there inside us if we only listen to it. Something inside me listened to the raccoons’ cry for help. I didn’t think about what I was doing, I just did it. The pull can be so strong that you can’t resist it. This has happened to me so many times, I have to believe it.

I have a feeling of deep gratitude and wonder when it happens. I believe every creature on the earth has the potential to engage in intangible communication with other beings. Sometimes, we call it “listening to your heart” or “irresistible impulse.” We humans try to think it through or analyze it. Sometimes we ignore the call. 

We can choose to answer.