Melinda Coppola

twenty four may | from the inside out

Melinda Coppola

twenty four may | from the inside out

The past few days I’ve had home humming in my head and heart. Not my physical dwelling, but rather the whole concept of it: home. It’s a loaded word, to say the least. But I rarely say the least… at least not with pen to paper.

Recently, Super Guy and I visited an animal sanctuary. It’s a magical place with paths and paddocks, ponds and portals; little homes on posts, myriad small barns and shelters and cubbies and soft, warm sleep spots, bowls of food and bales of hay. It’s home to creatures of all sorts who were victims of the transposed violence and dark dysfunction that can live within the human psyche. These animals were mistreated by their previous owners, and the sanctuary provides a place they can heal and perhaps begin to trust again. To paraphrase an old, old song. I wondered as I wandered. What shifts, great and small, could occur that might eliminate or drastically reduce the need to rescue animals from human abuse and neglect?

Here, in this home in the woods, are cats, dogs, horses, donkeys, pigs, bunnies, llamas, goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese, doves, peacocks, and, variably, many other expressions of God. These creatures may be one-eyed or deaf, missing a leg or broken winged, living with chronic illness and/or suffering from post traumatic stress – more and than or–  from the inhumane treatment of their previous owners. And, in this place, they are finally welcomed home.

As I walked the paths of the sanctuary with my creature-loving partner ( oh, how I love this about him!), together we greeted the rescued residents, pet the ones that allowed it. I took in the smells and sounds and sights; colors and textures and strange juxtapositions that are foreign to me, to most of us—creatures so different, living together in apparent reasonable harmony. Possible, perhaps, because all are well-fed, well-housed, respected for their particular needs for space, freedom, and safety…places to burrow in? And I thought, too, of the larger world we, who speak this human language, call home. A world full of rules and laws, customs and traditions, that we have created for ourselves, and continue to create. Lately, we hear a lot about the unpleasant effects of some of those laws, rules, customs: strife and anger and injustice and poverty and violence perpetuated, human against human, with sad justifications like:

different
– not as s/he should be

not like me and mine.

Or, sadder still,
That’s just the way things are … .in the Middle East, in the inner city. In that culture, those religions.

And
-That’s what comes with being black, or brown, or female, or poor. That’s just the way it is.

That afternoon, at the animal sanctuary, I walked in step with a wondering that felt more urgent than sublime. What kind of world might it be if all people had a safe and comfortable place to call home? If all people were well-fed, well-housed, respected for their individual needs for space, and freedom, and safety? What might happen to the imbedded acceptance of those justifications for human-to-human violence and subjugation? And, how much might such a world reduce the need to rescue animals from abuse and neglect?

We are all connected. No matter how hard we may try to ignore this, personal action, positive or negative, ripples outward into families, communities, countries, and our larger home, Earth. What are we willing to give up, or change, or invest in, that can move us towards a time and place where Earth -our home– is a sanctuary for all?

-Melinda Coppola

12 Responses

  1. I LOVE YOUR BLOG.
    Thank you. By sharing
    your thoughts you confirm and strengthen the GOOD. Your words speak truths.

  2. Beautifully expressed with many levels of meanings in and between your words. Your words ripple out and help inspire The Dream … of a world where all beings live in harmony with themselves and each other on Earth – our HOME.

  3. So beautiful and a wonderful place to visit God’s creatures who deserve to be loved, happy and safe as we all do.

    1. Debra,

      Thank you so much! I will be at Winslow again,and I will introduce myself. The world is a better place because of you.

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