The Soul of an Animal

Animal lovers often ask the question, "Do animals have souls?"  I contemplate this question without answers, so I look to how the Divine is part of my everyday life to gain insight.

I have had a hole in my heart over the last two years since the loss of Tootsie and Wolfie, one from cancer and a year later, the other from thyroid disease.  Their absence left my family missing them more than we thought possible. Their loss also affected our friends who grew to know and love them. They left a wide circle of those who missed them.

Last week, my daughter Joanna and I went to see a room full of 7-month-old young cats and this week the two we fell for are being delivered to our home. The orange male we will name "Trouble" as this funny boy is full of curiosity, energy, and has a fabulous engaging personality. The black and white tuxedo female we will name "Sweetheart" as she is dear and loving. We can feel our hearts filling back up already. My dog, Pixie, has lived much of her life with cats so I expect her to pretend not to care too much. Yet she too will have her life enhanced.

God wants us to have fun and energy, be curious, and experience love. That I know. So, I expect whether it is a dog, cat, alpaca, or your own special animal, what brings us closer to God is the experience we have in being with animals. It is my soul that feels the joy, my soul that expands in love. I am grateful for the divine gift of these delightful animals as they fill my life with new ways to be happy. How has the love and care you have given an animal deepened your experience of goodness? How have animals awaken your soul to the of the presence of the Divine?