ANOTHER VIEW OF COMPANION ANIMALS

[lizbud]

This was a "quote of the week" I happened
to read today..What do you think???
"We need another and a wiser and perhaps a
more mystical concept of animals..We patronize them for their incompleteness, for
their tragic fate of having taken form so far
below ourselves. And therein we err and err
greatly. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete
than ours, they move finished and complete,
gifted with extension of the senses we have
lost or never attained,living by voices we
shall never hear. They are not breathen, they
are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and
time, fellow prisoners of the splendor and
travail of the earth."
Henry Beston, 1888-1968, from
The Outermost House.

[kobieeli]

They are not breathen, they
are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and
time, fellow prisoners of the splendor and
travail of the earth."


That's an awesome quote--I especially like the snipped portion above. If you think of dogs (and all animals) as worlds apart from us, sharing our human lives from a totally different vantage point, then you'll always view them with awe, wonder, and respect. They can teach us so much; it makes you thankful to have them around.

[Sudilar]

Very thought-provoking.

[lizbud]

kobieeli,
I totally agree it is an awesome quote!!
It also expresses a view of all animals,
as well as humankind ,as having a place and
a purpose of their own on this earth.
I agree that they can teach us so much..
The author of the book'The Outermost House",
spent a year on the 'Great Outer Beach of
Cape Cod' Must be pretty country to inspire
such thought. Glad you liked it too..

[kobieeli]

Thanks for posting it, lizbud!

I've been looking for a quotation for my sig line for several weeks, and some of the words from the one you posted are top contenders....

[MaxnPeteysMom]

Great quote - it's quite astonishing and beautiful.

[lizbud]

MaxnPeteysMom...
Glad you like the authors words!!!
What struck me when I first read it
was "RIGHT" ,that's how I feel about all animals, especially all the furry ones we
share our lifes with...
In this sometimes crass & cynical world we
find ourselves in, it's nice to know that
the original thought that went into the
quote was alive & well so long ago....

[tatsxxx11]

Lizbud! Thanks so much for posting that excerpt. One of my all time favorite books ever! And beaches! It truly is breathtaking. No wonder he was so inspired. I can't believe I live on the Cape and a midwestern pal beat me to the punch! LOL! Isn't his writing simply magical! Thanks again! Sandra

[jackiesdaisy1935]

That quote is wonderful. I'm not very smart, but I do believe animals were put here to teach us love, trust, survival, instinct and many more things. They have a better sense of smell, vision, hearing and in the pack a better sense of family that many people with abandoned children do not have. Could we not learn more from animals if we stopped and looked and listened?
I remember reading and I can't remember the author, that he said dogs do not know what love is, they have purely animal instincts.
That in other words you can show them love all day but they only respond to a bed, food and a place to live. Rubbish, in my own case I have loved Daisy from day one, she was abused by the breeders children and she would neither sit on my lap without biting me or come to me. If I picked her up she would growl and bite me. After three years she and I share a love that knows no bounds. I can see the love in her eyes when she looks at me and I kiss her a hundred times a day. We sleep together every night, Carrie, I know, I know, but I can't help myself. The love I have for Daisy is beyond anything I have ever felt before. Don't tell me that love doesn't exist between dogs and people I will never believe that. As I read one day that when you reach the Rainbow bridge every dog that you have ever come in contact with will be on that bridge and they decide whether you get to cross that bridge or not. So love and take care of all animals.
Sorry for the long post.
Jackie

[RachelJ]

Jackie, the long post was beautiful and eloquent. Don't ever cut your feelings short. We'll have to give Carrie her just due by stating that there probably are some situations where a dog should not share the Big Bed, but I doubt that yours or mine are among them for the bliss that is ours in doing so cannot be measured.

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

Kobieeli, I totally agree with what you said. Animals have taught me and alot of people that I know so many things.

Jackie, just like you, I know that love exists between dogs and people I will never believe otherwise. I know from my relationship with my dog and other people that have dogs. I have never met an animal lover who was not compationate, caring, and respectful to everyliving thing.

Lizbud, thank you for sharing that quote. It really made my heart smile.