Animal Crackers
by
Betsy Thompson
When I was a kid, I remember being fascinated by animal crackers. Not only did I love
how they tasted, but I loved how they felt, how they looked, and how they were packaged.
Each box seemed like an individual gift all by itself whether the crackers were inside it
or not. I also loved the concept of lots of little cookies inside a bigger package; all
mine to enjoy. The fact that the crackers were different shapes, with different curves and
characteristics, also had appeal. I never knew from one minute to the next which creative
image I would face; an elephant, a tiger or a kangaroo. I never cared if this or that
cookie was completely whole. I was hooked on the total package regardless.
Perhaps my enthusiasm mirrored an unconscious belief that all animals were delightful
in their uniqueness. Each species with its own hierarchy, beauty, and strengths; each with
its own color, shape and sound; and each with its own environment, habitat, and instincts
that made the rest work perfectly. The whole animal kingdom was accepted as a miraculous
package of diversity, endurance, and appeal.
Acceptance Of Everyone
In a world where the need to care for each other as individuals has reached such a
crisis, maybe we need to ask how it's possible to embrace every single bird, fish or beast
that graces the face of this Earth in its total uniqueness but, still, we haven't accepted
and embraced the upright human in its myriad of choices.
We have our own hierarchy, beauty and strengths, our own colors, shapes and sounds, our
own environments, habitats and instincts that make the rest work perfectly, too. We are
also a whole that is miraculous in its diversity, endurance, and appeal.
I'm sure there have been times in our history when cementing like interests was healthy
and vital for survival, but this kind of thinking isn't working for us anymore. Our world
is integrating. People are coming together, living together, thinking together, and
working together. And every part of this congregation needs to be honored and revered
individually for the whole to stay healthy and strong; just as it does in the animal
kingdom.
No one says to the elephant, "why oh why can't you be more like the giraffe?"
No one says to the rhinoceros, "why or why can't you look more like the hyena."
No one says to the groundhog, "why or why can't you fly like a bird, run like a
steed, and hop like a kangaroo." We welcome the animals' differences. We delight in
them. In fact, we even encourage their uniqueness.
Regardless of what an animal looks like, we accept that it has a heart that beats, a
body that functions, and a brain that reacts to stimuli. In fact, we give a lot of respect
to an animal's instincts. We try to honor its individuality, inspire its survival, and
nurture its continuity. When we don't, that species follows its instincts for survival,
whether we like it or not, any way that it can be accomplished. When it comes to our
fellow humans, however, we act surprised when the same system is operative.
The human has a heart that beats, a body that functions, and a brain that reacts to
stimuli, too. Why wouldn't we need to respect our instincts, honor our habitat, inspire
our survival, and nurture our continuity? What if the universe would follow its instincts
for survival whether we like it or not; and in any way that it can be accomplished? And
will we be surprised when it does?
Be Who You Are!
As a child, intuition played a major role in my life as it does in every child's
beginning. Maybe those around me disliked those preferences, but their dislike didn't
change what I felt. My instincts came as a part of my package. I was who I was, whether
anyone liked it or not. The only thing that changed when I sensed that uneasiness, was my
willingness to share who I was. But my integral soul stayed intact regardless, waiting
until I was ready to acknowledge that source.
I don't think anything different is happening in this world now, than was happening in
my family then. All forms of energy want the freedom to be itself, the same freedom we
give so graciously to the animals.
If you tried to make a wild beast into a rabbit, it would probably get somewhat
confused, substantially frustrated, and justifiably angry -- no more confused, frustrated
or angry than any soul feels who is asked to question its own integrity because someone
else's is different.
In the grand scheme of things, humanity is a lot like that box of animal crackers. The
Earth is here in its splendor whether we as humans are here or not; just as the box was
delightful regardless of whether any cookies were in attendance. This Earth has millions
of original-looking souls playing around in its total package, just as the animal cracker
box did, too. We all have different shapes, with different curves and characteristics,
just as the animal crackers exhibited. We also have the fun of never knowing, from one
minute to the next, what creative image will face us; just as I never knew when selecting
a cookie.
Featured
book by this author:-?
"You Are What You Think"
by Betsy Otter Thompson
Info/Order this book
About The
Author
Betsy Otter Thompson does readings, either through the mail or in person,
using the Tarot Deck and her own Wholeness Cards. She is also the author and publisher of:
"Loveparent - How To Be The Parent You Hope To Be", "Lovehuman - How To Be
Who You Love", and "You Are What You Think - Make Your Thoughts Delicious",
and has several other books she is preparing for publication. Betsy can be reached at Box
3001, Burbank, CA 91508.
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