Jen Ward

Affinity for All Life Jen Ward

When I was a little girl, I had a much older cousin. She was very kind and took time to talk to children. I loved her. But the older siblings called her something that I didn't understand. They called her a black sheep. It was difficult to understand what they were seeing in this kind, wonderful person who answered every question a child asked, explained things that others couldn't bother with, and treated me like I mattered. The contrast between how she treated me and how they treated her was troubling. One day, I was playing outside and found a toad next to the house. I wanted to take him home with me. She was very kind. She explained to me something that no one else ever bothered to tell me. She talked as if the toad had a life that he enjoyed and actually had feelings. She told me the toad was a daddy, and if I took him away, his children would be waiting for him to come home for work and would be really sad when he didn't come home. She went on to explain how much the baby toads would miss their daddy because I took him. She was actually teaching me very profound truths. She woke me to the fact that animals have consciousness, that they are not inanimate things here for my pleasure. She also taught me about my responsibility in being kind to animals. She taught me that my actions, no matter how casual they seem, have profound consequences. She taught me personal accountability in dealing with life in all forms. This experience has obviously had a profound effect on me. Just that one little exchange transformed me. She took the time to explain a life altering principle to a neglected little girl in a way I could understand. It was a seed that landed into my heart. It rippled into a great love and respect for animals and life of all kinds. This book is a compilation of all the different ways this lesson that I had as a child flourished into blossoms of love, healing, respect and kindness in regards to animals. May this book be a seed for humanity to weave their own love, healing, respect and kindness for animals into their own lives. May it cause a mass rise in consciousness in how we treat our kindred species. May the outmoded belief that man is the superior species be finally put to rest with the acceptance of the awareness articulated in this book. May this book be put into the hands of children of all ages to help them connect with their innate nature. May the stories and examples seep into the hearts and minds of all people. Perhaps, finally we will all be free to express our affinity for all life without being considered black sheep.