Aloha,
Well, in the first paragraph of
Elephants Journey to Pay Respect...But How Did they Know?,
tears came to my eyes, and a couple of stories came to mind.
One was from someone I interviewed on a tv show I was hosting in the '80s
about an "animal whisperer" who had been called to look into the problems
the zoo keepers at the San Diego Zoo were having with elephants being
aggressive, this after one of their group had died. What she got from them
was that they were upset because they had been immediately separated from
the one that had died -- they had not been given the time to say their
goodbyes to her. In view of that, the zoo decided to allow the elephants to
spend time with the skull of the deceased one, which they would hold between
their heads. After they were able to grieve and be with the remains of the
one that passed, the aggression stopped.
Then, if you've seen "Out of Africa," you probably remember Isak Dinesen's
(played by Meryl Streep) letter received from a friend in Africa after
Dinesen had returned to Denmark. In the letter, she read that lions often
returned to the hillside and spent time lying around where Dinesen's lover
(played by Robert Redford) had been buried after dying in the plane crash.
And one of my favorite similar stories was featured in Vanity Fair at least
20 years ago about a bon vivant photographer from Europe who loved penguins
and spent considerable time in Antarctica photographing them. During one of
his stays at the Russian center there, he was out in a storm and on his way
back the snowfall was so intense he could not find his way back. He died 500
feet from the center. And when they had the memorial for him there, several
penguins showed up, even though they did not actually live close by.
Thank goodness for these stories getting out for all to see. They -- like
babies, I think -- know a lot more than we think. Animal communication and
awareness could be teaching us how to create peace on the planet, eh?
Blessings and miracles to all,
Anita
Reply from Frank and Mary Hoffman
Dear Anita:
Thank you so much for writing and telling us about these other incidents of
animal awareness.
We agree with you analysis and your hope for peace in the world.
In the Love of the Lord,
Frank and Mary
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