Animals Understand Death

We are all born, and when we are, we’re already dying. No matter how, no matter when.

We humans, even after scientific discoveries, ghostly encounters, reading about Near Death Experiences, we don’t fully grasp it. Does the human spirit really weigh about two pounds? Are the stories true about NDE? Do children really claim to know their previous life, tell us how they died, and insist on pointing out photos of themselves in albums or online?

Who can say? It’s perspective, and much of that depends on our believes, religion, our education. What did our parents teach our about it?

Our loved ones… we fear abandonment by our loved ones, even when we’re by their side to say a final good-bye. They’re leaving us. They don’t return from this trip, do they? Do they all collect in a place above, or its that belief mythology? Maybe we see them when we die, maybe we don’t. We all have these questions, and it feels even more intense when we’re not there when their body becomes just a body. Did they know we meant to be with them? Were they looking for us to convey a final word, something we should know about? Will they not rest in peace? Will they? Anxiety.

We fear dying ourselves. What are we leaving behind? Are our affairs in order, have we talked to those who’re important to us? Is out plot picked out? Casket or cremation? Who will attend our funeral. What are the thoughts of people we know—are we liked and loved, will we be missed? This is all anxiety. Human behaviour, the human condition. Rarely do any of us truly understand death—our own or another’s.

Animals understand death. They know when they’re dying. They make no plans. They know they will move on from the physical body, and they are only afraid if they were threatened while it happened. But they were afraid of the threat, the pain more the death. This is my humble opinion.

When our pets are not well, and it’s the end, if they go naturally, we find they hid away to be alone.  They didn’t scurry in their last days to gather other pets to their side. If we take them to a veterinarian and stay with them, still, they don’t protest their death. They’re sick, they know. They had no anxiety about this life they lived, heaven or hell as a final place, they just let it go. Maybe it’s painful, and we as pet parents plainly discern that. We cry, we mourn. Yet they accept it as a part of life and how it ends. The transition is difficult, the end result is expected.

Perhaps animals know they’re on a timer when they’re born.

Thanks for reading.

Oh-so-human People Hood

Launched by our day of birth, we are delivered into the human race, each of us having joined the people hood association.  We live akin having basic nutritional needs for health, growth and survival.  Yet, unequal “nutrient” measures are required for our individual learning stimulus and potential mind development.  Particular learning styles can be as distinct as our bodies, personalities, preferences and capabilities.  

We are all equipped to learn as we grow, but sometimes we cannot advance as per certain teaching methods.  Everyone possesses adequacies—like definitive fingerprints—those distinguished abilities must be fostered.  Since our human bodies are not resembled exactly alike, not even identical twins, it makes sense that our human minds are assembled differently as well.  Consider various character traits and personal likes and dislikes people have for foods, hobbies, clothes, music, literature….  Perceptions of our environment differ, it’s obvious, our homes reflect our individualism as well as the artistic creations we savour.  

Although inter mutual similarities form assemblages, those groups consist of personal contributions.  Creative-minded artists orchestrate the vast entertainment industry with unique styles; actors, comedians, musicians….  Interior decorators have diverse flair; writers, their own voice…while other faculties include a range of technicians, lawyers, scientists; foods industry….  All an asset to their field.  Point made, I’m sure, saying that people hood is balanced out by a plethora of talents and specific contributions which make up divergent categories in societal links.  Speculate, though.  Does everybody learn in the same manner to find their niche?  

If absolutely everyone could learn the way they think, if you will, imagine the productivity and confidence within each person.  There were/are individuals so unique in their thinking that, “Eureka!”, mind-blowing concepts continue to be developed; lifesaving medication and technology, communications devices, travel modes just to mention a few.  Diverse-thinking historical figures pushed against the grain to be taken seriously, and prevailed.  They are gone, yet their outstanding contributions, not forgotten.

 The five senses contribute significantly to our learning, and more fundamentally, our individual impressions of what we’re sensing react to convey information about our environment and produce thoughts constantly.  Perhaps we take our sight, hearing, tactile sensitivities, olfactory glands and taste buds for granted, but still, without the five sensations, touch being the most important, human contact would be deficient in gratifying communication encounters.  People who are lacking one or more of the five senses have heightened awareness of their existing senses and learn to utilize their abilities.  When an individual has one or more learning differences or disabilities, their ability in another area or areas is accentuated and those proficiencies should be encouraged and promoted.  But for several reasons, this does not usually happen.  

 Numerous students are stressed in a world of do-it-or-fail.  But, if students’ learning styles, talents and strengths were recognized and given precedence over whole curriculum styles and students’ particular weaknesses, perhaps everyone would love school.  Not to say that one’s weak areas should be ignored, particularly reading, but forced techniques for the sake of the whole-system curriculum—are not learned—they’re resented.  Frustrated students can attest to the width of curriculum cracks they’re slipping through.   

Nonetheless, in comparison to “old school,” the educational methods are improving, slow but sure.  Now, even though the system is still designed for masses of students as a whole and integration still applies, LDs are finally being recognized as an alternative learning style and our western culture is beginning to realize an ancient truth: people have individual, unique minds.  LD strengths are noticed and commended more than before.  Children and adults alike now have the opportunity for equal rights in their education.  

Adults, listen, be encouraged if you learn differently than others, whether you’re young or matured.  It’s special to be in the minority because LD persons, past and present, have contributed greatly to society.  Google famous LD people and see for yourself.  Our passionate interests are most usually indicative of our natural gifts and talents.  Explore yourself.   Your success will still require time, effort and practice, as with anyone else, regardless of learning style, so pursue what you feel you are good at.

Myself, I think and do differently, and it’s not always easy to find passage in the sea with my learning-style compass.  It takes patient navigating, but with a ship constructed of diligence, I have sailed into a “The world!—she’s’ a-round!” discovery of reachable, fulfilling accomplishments.  My diagnoses of ADD, dyslexia and NVD opened my world up, and I wrote a novel. My editor waded through the errors, bless him for bringing it up to standards.

If I can do sail the LD sea, trust me, you can too.  I actually obtained a Children’s Writing diploma (just needed extra time); I have taught my curriculum development,  at my local Fanshawe college as an evening interest course. I have had several articles published in this newsletter and I’m constructing a poetry chapbook.  Receiving an educational awards spurred me on.    

Embark upon your journey.  Pack unlimited positive attitude supplies and claim your discovery.  A precious diamond is first hidden in a lump of hard, black coal, then uncovered, it’s worth something.  Remember that.

I wrote They All Wore Black, a meaningful story. Because I could. There are just days to my publishing goal. Find more about it here:
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