Today is both the Feast of Saint Francis and World Animal Day! I have been very blessed to have shared my entire life with many animals. Since birth my life has been filled with animals and full because of animals. I’ve owned, lived with, raised, healed, and bred all sorts of animals: hamsters, songbirds, tropical birds, chickens, fresh and tropical fish, toads, an iguana, snakes, turtles, a tarantula, cats, and dogs. I cannot imagine what it is like to not have animals around. My current “kids”:
I am eternally grateful for animals, and I pray that all humans learn to love and appreciate the lessons and love that animals can bring into our lives!
Saint Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals, gardens, and the environment. He came from a wealthy family, having all the comforts of luxury for his day, but he saw that material things and pleasures could not fill his heart and soul with joy and peace. He left this existence of emptiness and suffering for the life of an ascetic monk. He chose a life of material poverty so that he could find abundance within his heart through teaching love and compassion and providing service towards others, not only to humans but also towards both animals and the environment.
Though we do not have to choose a monastic life to find everlasting fortune and abundance in our own lives, we can choose to work towards finding the courage to let go of our egos’ attachments to the material and fleeting, and to work towards filling our hearts with the same passion for compassion that Saint Francis exemplified. May The Prayer of Saint Francis be a mantra for us to live with our hearts:
Make me a channel of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me bring you love,
Where there is injury, your pardon Lord,
And where there’s doubt, true faith in you.
Make me a channel of your peace,
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope,
Where there is darkness, only light,
And where there’s sadness, ever joy.
Oh Master grant that I may never seek,
So much to be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love with all my soul.
Make me a channel of your peace,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
In giving to all men that we receive,
And in dying that we’re born to eternal life.
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.
– Mahatma Gandhi
Through the Peacock's Eyes 
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What a wonderful post Julie ~ thank you. I cannot imagine my life without my furry kids.
Peace ❤
Emy
Thanks Emy! ❤
Such a lovely post Julie, and love your photo’s… Life is richer for our animal kingdom.. Thank you for reminding us… Love and blessings your way 🙂 Sue x
Sorry I missed your beautiful post yesterday. I had the flu 😦 Happy belated World Animal Day.
We all hope you feel better! ❤
Things are much better thank you 🙂
Reblogged this on "OUR WORLD".
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Reblogged this on The Jackson Diner.
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We are not whole without them ♥
It’s great that animals will receive the blessings. Just love Francis’s kindness.
Mom doesn’t ever remember reading or hearing that poem before, which really surprised her. It is so lovely as is the rendition by Susan Boyle. Thank you for sharing it. Hope you will join us for our Sunday Selfies Blog Hop. XO, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
this is a great day,xx Rachel
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Reblogged this on Healing With Animals.
Happy World Animal Day! As I read your post a tiny bird entered the terrace and caught Dexter’s attention ( from behind the sliding glass door), I had a few goldfish, but my love affair began in junior high when we were permitted to get gerbils! I would second hours watching them, love at first sight, We were not allowed any other animals at home, but my first room mate had a cat and so the cat love affair began. Every day my love for all animals ( except bees and spiders and some insects) has grown exponentially. I really like the quote by Gandhi. I mentioned on Cindy Knoke’s blog on Switzerland how perhaps we can assess the character of a society by how they treat animals, not knowing of the quote 🙂
Love to you and your babies,
Linda
Lovely Linda! And Dexter and birdie! 😀
Reblogged this on Peace With My Life.
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