There are thousands of astonishing stories of service and rescue animals defending and saving lives, and providing comfort and assistance in extraordinary circumstances.
photo by Elina Volkova
Even our pets can connect with us more than we know. Recently, while my cat was lying near my feet, I felt a wave of relief as an on-going difficult challenge was finally overcome. He immediately began to purr loudly.
I heard a story about a girl who accidentally made friends with a crow. Apparently, she had dropped some food, on a regular basis, and the bird happily accepted. The girl's mother suggested that they buy some food for their new friend. One day, while some distance away, the mother was taking photos and dropped and left behind her lens cap. When she got home, she saw the crow leave the lens cap by their bird feeder.
Some time ago, while my friend and I were crossing a street, my dog, in an instant, blocked our way so suddenly that we almost tripped over her. Right in front of us, a car turned abruptly. It came within a hair of hitting her. She had placed herself in harm's way to save us.
It is comforting to appreciate that we are integral parts of the natural world. We all benefit from the symbiotic connections of all living things.