I love animals.  This is absolutely no secret to anyone.  In fact, I suppose some of my friends think I am slightly loopy about my preponderance concerning the connection between the animal world and humans.

Of course I love my dogs.  But….. I have felt an intuitive association with many different animals, since I was a child.

I think every kid rescues the injured bird, or mouse, and has aspirations of becoming a Veterinarian one day.  I did this too.  But with me, it wasn’t so much about “healing” them… as it was “recognizing” that they are little beings on this planet too.  Or big beings on this planet, depending on the animal.  I have sympathized with them, cried about them, taking great joy from the presence, sat quietly with them….. and it goes on and on, really.

Sometimes, I will learn a little fact about an animal, and self-associate.  I’ll  think…. “Holy smokes.  I am sort of like a Tunisian Grasshopper.”  …. or …. whatever the case may be.

So tonight I read some information…. and found more similarities.

For one little example ….  Moles have to eat every few hours or will starve to death.   Yes.  In that way, I am mole. 

Another.  The Pileated Woodpecker is about the size of a crow…. and…. it pecks an average of about 12,000 times per day.  Now…. that bird can peck away at about 20 times in one second.  I tend to exhibit this type of behavior.    Much like jamming the front of my head into the trunk of a tree,  again and again and again.

Here is another.  Elephants are not really afraid of mice.  I am not really afraid of mice.  In fact, I think they are extremely cute.

Squirrels have thumbs.  They are born in the early spring.  During winter storms, or severe cold, the squirrel may not leave the nest for days.  Me too. Me too. Me too.

Orangutans love fruit.  A lot.   I am like an Orangutan in that way. 

We could do this all night.

But back to the topic at hand.  I truly believe animals think, and feel.  I’ve seen it with my own eyes, and these observations always touch my heart.

So, I will keep on being a squirrel, and a monkey, and a fish…. in my own little ways.  It reminds me about the responsibility I have as being a part of this planet. For I am merely one of the inhabitants here.  And we…. all of us…. are  sharing the same ground,  the same water,  the air and the sun.

Yep. Here we are.  Time for me to go bark at the moon.

“Das Glück ist das einzige, das sich verdoppelt, wenn man es teilt.”  – Albert Schweitzer

“Happiness is the only thing that doubles when you share it.”