"We ALL Have the Capacity for GOOD"--#everydayisworldanimalday #amreading

Janet Mason
6 days ago
2 min read

I was inspired by World Animal Day (October 4th) and a blessing of the (mostly) stuffed animals service at the Unitarian Universalist congregation I attend to post something for this occasion, which honors the life of St. Francis and is a call for action for animal liberation.

This date corresponded with the sad loss of Jane Goodall, the tireless animal rights and environmental activist. Jane was the epitome of her last name. She was GOOD and inspired us ALL to be Good. Jane, who has said she was "vegan for the environment," was our moral compass and a reminder that we all can be GOOD. The capacity for good is in each one of us. Her last statement (publicly) was to "Never give up."

Above the pictures I'm posting, is a short excerpt from my recently completed work of eco-fiction, I AM the WOLF, a novel of ecology and rewilding:

The Wolf

As Jamie drove home with her passenger, Gertrude, from the small, privately funded college where they both taught, she held her tongue when Gertrude made remarks that Jamie suspected were uttered to engage Jamie in an argument.

She knew that Gertrude meant well—even if she was contrary.

Gertrude taught history, a subject that she could always claim to be right about and probably was. Jamie, who taught basic physics, for the most part, could only quote theories.

She tried to hold back, but couldn’t help responding to Gertrude that:

“It’s complicated because in quantum physics everything is connected.”

“If you say so,” quipped Gertrude.

Jamie looked straight ahead as she ignored Gertrude’s remark, which seemed like a thinly veiled act of aggression. She could see the largest wooded area between the fields that they passed on their commute. She imagined the clearing getting bigger. She pictured herself taking up residence there. She felt herself covered with fur and poking her wet black nose out of her den after a long, cold, winter. She hungrily sniffed the air. There was moss under her padded feet and all around her, the smell of earth, wild and free. The air smelled crisp and clean. It made her quiver with delight. She put her long nose up to the sky and howled.

That reminded her. There was something wild inside of her. She had a secret—she might not want anyone to know about it—but then it wouldn’t be the secret that it was, making her feel more alive.