Here’s a sermon delivered a year ago, on the eve of the first No Kings Day, celebrating the first anniversary of my dog surviving incurable cancer. Another year has passed - and he's still here!
Your "Moments" are so thought-provoking (as you´ve certainly noticed) and - trying not to give a lecture - do have a few comments :). I am a retired certified animal therapist (a legitimate career here in Germany) and maintained a practice for 20 years. One thing I not seldomly experienced (often being a "last hope") was having a customer bring their beloved pets with tears in their eyes because the vet had just given their dog or cat or guinea pig a death sentence. My response was, "is the vet G*d?" - OK, there are statistics for many illness. But what I gave these pet owners was natural medicines and a big portion of hope. Maybe not for a total healing, but knowing that we are energetically so tied up with our animals, and for the owner to have a positive outlook of maybe extending their pets´ lives beyond the death sentence to live their last days in better health and energy often proved medicine in it´s self.
In Buddhism, animals have "Buddha Consciousness," that which we poor creatures pay lots of money for for retreats and meditation cushions to achieve. And animals can have the potential of being Bodhisattvas in their roles as therapy animals. Thank you for your beautiful story. You and your family did the right thing. What a wonderful recovery. And enjoy your Bodhisattvas :)
Thanks. I find the psychology of dogs endlessly interesting. They seem to have an instinctual fear of death, though not in the abstract, and an unquenchable life force that drives them to heal and live. They are propelled by the love of their humans and pack-mates. And by a sense of smell so sophisticated that we can’t imagine its power, which anchors their memories. I swear dogs can sense the presence of loved ones long after they’re gone, and that gives them special strength to fight through the pain. We can’t help but cry at their innocence, and the purity of their generosity and courage. But what Casey has done is over the top.
I am so happy your dog is still enjoying life with you!
Perfect role model. The doggos inspire us and teach us.
Thank you for this beautiful, moving post. The perfect time to pause and appreciate these lessons from Casey, your sweet, sweet boy.
Your "Moments" are so thought-provoking (as you´ve certainly noticed) and - trying not to give a lecture - do have a few comments :). I am a retired certified animal therapist (a legitimate career here in Germany) and maintained a practice for 20 years. One thing I not seldomly experienced (often being a "last hope") was having a customer bring their beloved pets with tears in their eyes because the vet had just given their dog or cat or guinea pig a death sentence. My response was, "is the vet G*d?" - OK, there are statistics for many illness. But what I gave these pet owners was natural medicines and a big portion of hope. Maybe not for a total healing, but knowing that we are energetically so tied up with our animals, and for the owner to have a positive outlook of maybe extending their pets´ lives beyond the death sentence to live their last days in better health and energy often proved medicine in it´s self.
In Buddhism, animals have "Buddha Consciousness," that which we poor creatures pay lots of money for for retreats and meditation cushions to achieve. And animals can have the potential of being Bodhisattvas in their roles as therapy animals. Thank you for your beautiful story. You and your family did the right thing. What a wonderful recovery. And enjoy your Bodhisattvas :)
Thanks. I find the psychology of dogs endlessly interesting. They seem to have an instinctual fear of death, though not in the abstract, and an unquenchable life force that drives them to heal and live. They are propelled by the love of their humans and pack-mates. And by a sense of smell so sophisticated that we can’t imagine its power, which anchors their memories. I swear dogs can sense the presence of loved ones long after they’re gone, and that gives them special strength to fight through the pain. We can’t help but cry at their innocence, and the purity of their generosity and courage. But what Casey has done is over the top.