there are times these days
when I’m certain I hear
the whisper of fluttering wings
or the soft sigh of a dreaming dog
perhaps the spirits of my beloved companions
do visit in moments when I need to remember
what unconditional love feels like
*
they were, after all, my best teachers
and it’s so easy to forget sometimes
when they’re no longer physically here
to soften the sorrow of wars near and far
*
Honoring the gift of their past presence
requires living the lessons they shared
Voices from the Margins 
Unfortunately, “the whisper of fluttering wings” and “the soft sigh of a dreaming dog” nearby now seem drowned out by the unheard sounds of murderous artillery and exploding rockets far away. Still, in the face of unbridled evil, we must keep unconditional love alive….as your “Reflections” so eloquently remind us.
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These are troubling times, MM, but it seems wars are never-ending and always result in suffering, death, and destruction. They’re always brutal and always senseless. I often think of Carl Sagan’s wise words:
“The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot.” (https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/1816628-pale-blue-dot-a-vision-of-the-human-future-in-space)
Finding the wisdom to see each other as fellow travelers on this tiny planet in one moment of time shouldn’t be so difficult… Sending my best wishes to you and your family, dear MM! 💜
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Aw. As long as they are loved, they are present.
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💜
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Beautifully written, Carol. In disbelief we hear the horror and feel the grief of war. Your last couplet brings solace and calm.
Miriam
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Thank you so much for your always thoughtful comments and kind words, Miriam. 💜
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“They were, after all, my best teachers.” How true. I had a dear cat companion who woke me up to the inner lives of felines, realizing that their emotional lives can be as complex as ours. For instance, he could get depressed and needed to be consoled. When I came through the door he did a “happy dance.” He loved our rituals and had to have them done exactly the same way every time, in the same order. If I told him something once, he got it immediately. Animals are so much more than we’ve been led to believe in this culture.
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It’s delightful to hear from you, Art! Thank you for sharing special memories of your beloved feline companion. I have had a few of those, too, as well as other dogs and parakeets who were special.
Your comments brought to mind something you wrote and posted on the old blog I shared years ago, “Mohawk the Starling, https://intersistere.wordpress.com/2013/11/ I wonder if you remember this lovely reflection?
Sending my best wishes to you. 💜
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Carol, I appreciate your reflections so very much. Our companions do teach us so much…and our hearts break open a little bit more when they leave us. 💜
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Thank you for always being kind, dear friend. 💜
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It was here, planet Earth, where mankind actually came.
From birth to death we loved and fought.
Many moved on, many died.
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Reading this while petting one of my cats and the dog is nearby. Such love.
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Thank you, Pam. 💜
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They are such a loss when they’re gone and the house so empty without animals in it.
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Thank you for your thoughtful comments, Andrea. 💜
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