Almost a week has passed since our wonderful visit to Ocean City, New Jersey, where we were graciously invited to sign our books, Hogan’s Hope, at Sun Rose Words & More.
The most memorable moment of the day was when friends from the deaf community stopped to spend time with our deaf dog, Judea, who shares their world of silence and use of American Sign Language to communicate. Their instant connection was glorious and incredibly heartwarming. Happy tears and hugs spread throughout the crowd of onlookers.
Experiences like these make it crystal clear to me that we are all more alike than we are different. We all need to be loved. We all need to be accepted, and we all need to have others in our lives who understand us. Being different indeed makes us uniquely special, but our need for bonding with others and feeling the warmth of companionship makes us very much the same. Whether two-legged, four-legged, or winged, countless examples of caring, protection, and love make this vividly apparent.
For me, it begs the questions, “Why are we not loving? Kind? Accepting? Forgiving?” “What evil exists in some people to be cruel, to hold grudges, to judge, or to abuse others physically, mentally, or emotionally?”
My prayer is that we open our eyes and ears to truly see and hear one another. I pray that we learn to love and accept each other even when we disagree. “Agreeing to disagree” is not always a wrong approach to our differences. We gain so much when we embrace rather than abuse or attack. Justifying cruelty is not an option. We must take full responsibility to be kind, to care for all God’s creation’s, and to share His unconditional love.
Watching loving, innocent, four-legged Judea with loving, two-legged humans is wondrous - an amazing example for all of us.
Blessings to you today, tomorrow, and always!
