Never before has it become so clear to me through the fog of war that the mysterious space between nonhumans and humans is filled with divinity. To be perfectly blunt again and again I have read stories of citizens of Ukraine refusing to be separated from the animals they love and adore even if it means the citizen will die as they care for and protect their animal(s). This type of bonded love demands deep and thoughtful consideration through a spiritual lens. And that is my intent for this reflection.
Since February 24, 2022 when the invasion of Ukraine began I have been haunted by how the animals are experiencing the war. The animals of Ukraine are one population of voiceless victims of this war. Among the many different voiceless populations of war I believe all populations must be considered; therefore we must think about the animals too. As a consequence of the war people have died as they tried to care for animals in this horrific conflict zone. I have asked myself would I die for my animals and the answer is yes with no hesitation. I have asked many people would you die for your animal(s) some like me say yes without hesitation, others waffle on the answer and then there are people who would not die for their animal(s). Why does the answer to the question “Would you die for your animals?” matter? I do not know why it matters but it matters that much I am certain of; the why part is a kind of spiritual exploration of one dimension of how I am being impacted by this war. Perhaps in choosing to read this reflection you are asking yourself the same question. This is my spiritual war fighting to understand why it matters if a human is willing to die or not die for a nonhuman. Perhaps the why matters because the answer may reveal some of the reasons why we humans create war.
I recently listened to an interview of a woman fleeing the war with her children and pets. She inspired the name and subject of this blog post. She said do not leave you pets behind; do not abandon them because they love you. Because they love you; because they love you not because you love them. There have been times when I have never felt so deeply and unconditionally loved then by a nonhuman. Yes of course my beloved nonhumans love me and I love them. Some humans would argue that the love that I think I am experiencing from my nonhumans is contractual; they love me because I feed them and provide them with shelter. This is true I do provide for them because I love them. Somehow the love I experience from the nonhumans I live with is deeper and much less conditional than food, water and shelter would imply. The quality of this love is without condition. When I falter in maintaining my obligations to my nonhumans they do not falter. They do not falter in their loyalty and love. I would die for this kind of unconditional love.
Two weeks ago I had a medical emergency which required a two day hospitalization. Normally when I return home the dogs that I live with, the dogs that I love and adore jump all over me and bark nonstop for about five minutes. When I returned home from the hospital I walked in the house and there was absolute silence and they did not jump on me as they normally do. The gaze between the nonhumans that I live with and I was different; they knew I was different and changed by the last forty-eight hours. It was like walking into a spiritual care emergency room and my beloved canines were my doctors. Within the gaze held between us they examined me intensely. I felt worried for them because they were too quiet. That usual jubilant boisterous greeting became careful and soft as they sensed my fragility. They needed to touch me and I needed to touch them. They rubbed their head and muzzle on my legs and then I sat with them and held their head in my lap. I was exhausted from the past two days and decided to go to my bed upstairs. We climbed the flight of stairs together as a pack. I was the fragile one so I was first to climb as I set the pace. They followed me gingerly instead of running ahead to jump on the bed the usual part of our nightly routine. I lay down on my bed. The sentries of my beating heart joined me and positioned their body to lean on each side of my body standing guard for my soul through the hours that I slept. I felt warm, safe, secure and loved.
The answer to the question “Would you die for your animal(s)?” matters because the love matters not the species through which the love is expressed. We humans die for so much less, we die for money, authority our own ego and the list of the material is endless. Perhaps one reason of many reasons why humans create war is because we make the mistake of valuing love based on the one who expresses the love. For many there is denial that nonhumans can express love. If the expression of love from a nonhuman is denied than we are headed down the slippery slope of valuing or devaluing love based on what we perceive as the worth of the individual expressing the love. Indeed this has been and is an impetus for creating war.
For the Ukraine citizens who have managed to flee with their nonhumans I am comforted to know these Ukrainians are with someone who loves them because now they need so much love; they need unconditional love as I needed unconditional love the day I returned to my home from the hospital. Without having my dogs waiting for me to come home to all I would have done is returned to a house. Because of my dogs I got to go home. My hope is that if you are a displaced citizen of Ukraine wherever you find yourself living you will get to go home because your pets will be there waiting for you and because they love you. If you have been made fragile by this war I hope the sentries of your beating heart will guard your soul when you sleep and help you to heal because they love you. For all the individuals who have died or place themselves in harm’s way to preserve and protect this bonded love between human and nonhumans; thank you and I love you.