From the time I was a child I always was close to the creatures of the Earth. My Mother was always scared to open the door if I had gone camping or spent the night at a friends house. My Big Brother was the same. Didn’t matter what sort of Critter it was, we brought it home with us. Always treated with kindness or even sometimes simply took care of them when they had broken bones or poor health until we could release them. So Imagine it would not come as a surprise that St. Francis would be close to me, or that adults would call me Dr. Doolittle from a very young age.
Now fast-forward to later in life, I then understood that not all humans could understand or hear creatures speak. But it never bothered me as I love all creatures and yes even the creepy spiders. I try to remove them and put them somewhere else. Although I have had some spend winters indoors and just talked to them and told them you do you and I will do me and never should the two collide. Thus the ” We are All Are Related Deck” came forth so it could connect with people and also teach them about not only about the creatures, but about themselves.
I have weaved in and out through life as I have gotten older, St. Francis of Assisi never was far. He also resides in my garden, so is a prominent influence for my life. For those who do not know who St. Francis is here’s a little about him. He was born in 1181 in Italy to a very influential family of wealth. Saint Francis of Assisi abandoned a life of luxury for a life devoted to Christianity after reportedly hearing the voice of God, who commanded him to rebuild the Christian church and live in poverty. In 1224 Francis reportedly received a vision that left him with the stigmata of Christ — marks resembling the wounds Jesus Christ suffered when he was crucified, through his hands and the gaping lance wound in his side. This made Francis the first person to receive the holy wounds of the stigmata. They would remain visible for the rest of his life. Because of his earlier work treating lepers, some believe that the wounds were actually symptoms of leprosy. Today he is the patron saint for ecologists and the Creatures of the planet.
So I guess it was no surprise that in 2019 I had cardiac issues while I was having surgery on my spine. That evening I woke up in CCU at the hospital and spent the next five days in the hospital. The wild thing through all of it was the fact that as I floated in the in-between, St. Francis was the one that greeted me and told me to get my Happy Butt back as it was not my time. He did this three times. I told him all I wanted to do was see my pup that had recently passes at a very old age of 19 years. He responded that “Boone” was fine and would be just fine until it was my time to see him. He also called me stubborn and bullheaded as he sent me packing. So to say it was a profound experience was saying the least.
Since that time I know my purpose, my path, why I am here… is to be here for others. To stand for our Creatures of the World who have no Human voice. To point out the positives in life as we all are surrounded by chaos and negativity. Sometimes it’s hard to see a light through it all. Yet as we move forward, we need to remember we are in charge of us. Dealing with choices that will not only effect us, but others as we are All Connected in this great big quilt of life.
He is represented by the prayer and song Make me a Channel of Your Peace, which I would reckon we have heard at one time or another. The words are so appropriate for the world we live in every day. If you have never heard it… I share the prayer;
Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is hatred let me bring your love
Where there is injury, your pardon Lord
And where there is doubt true faith in You
Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is 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
It is in giving to all men that we receive
And in dying that we are born to eternal life
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
Where there’s despair in life let me bring hope
Where there is darkness only light
And where there’s sadness ever joy
I will always til my last breath be there for whom ever, and whatever Creature pops on my radar. So as you all walk through your days, remember to be kinder, more empathetic, compassionate and understanding to yourselves and others. as we are ALL in this together. I thank and talk with St. Francis every day… he is present in my life, as he is in us all. We simply have to dig deeper to find him. Ask him and he will reply.
Blessings to You All.
~ bear
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