Close Encouter of a Lovely Kind

I have shared in the past about my wonderful morning walks with Aimee, the most adorable puppy on the planet. We go to a 34 acre park near by and walk the hills. There is sacred and healing energy in that park. I can feel it and I can see it. One time a few years ago, while standing at the top of a hill in this park, looking down over the acres of lush green expanse, I saw the universe raduate with light. The colours were brilliant. I "saw" my life in a moment. I had a sweet feeling of peace. But most of all I felt compasion-- for me. I "heard", "You have done well." I hold that memory in my heart. It feels precious to me.

In this park live all manor of wild-life. Huge black crows who loudly and with urgency, share their caution of doom. Bunnies skittering into the bushes. Aimee chases squirrels into the trees, we pass areas that smell of skunk; little, lively foxes hurry by looking for a. Maj snack. Majestic hawks float overhead and call attention to the blue-berry sky. Last summer Aimee and I interrupted 3 deer as they quietly nibbled the grass then loped over the wooded hills to some place unknown to us, but safe for them, we hoped.

This morning Aimee and I saw the coyote who has been living there for several months. I suspect she has pups. Thus far none have shown themselves. Today Aimee decided to try friendship with Mama Coyote. She was close enough for me to see her soulful eyes and feel her quiet, shy presence. Initially, Aimee clearly hoped for a friend, but for some instinctual reason, this little bitty puppy began to growl at this lovely, soft brown, almost tamed mother animal. I scooped Aimee up and leased her. We walked away.

Something about these few short moments, opened my mind and heart to my friend in the Iranian prison. And to his captors.

I am sure my friend feels small, vulnerable and powerless. I don't know if he has tried to growl back. But my fears for him would be quite similar to my fears for Aimee: both are too little for the job and it would be unlikely either would survive an incounter.

What about his captors. If we could look deeply into their eyes, as mama coyote allowed me to do this morning with her, would we find any softness? Can they be tamed? Or have they been in the wild too long with no one to bring gentleness into their lives? I doubt I would be brave enough to growl, like Aimee did. She is fearless, sometimes. I am never fearless. So much learning and growing to do!

Someone very wise once told me that we all actually have only 2 emotions: love or fear. Profound.

If I can't love his captor, I fear them. If I fear them, or more to the point, if he fears them, his soul withers. He needs our love to help him survive. We are the holders and the containers of hope. Hope for the world to know more about love, and less about fear. More later. NAR