I’ve started several different posts this week. One is about helping dogs feel secure in new surroundings, one about teaching frustration tolerance and problem solving, one about the power of being positive. However, I just can’t seem to finish them. After last week’s brouhaha over my review of the Monks’ new book, I find my mind swirling with things I want to say, but none crystallized well enough to send them out into the universe.
The good thing about being almost 69 is that you finally start listening to yourself. If I’m not ready to finish the articles, then, well, I won’t. What I will do is look to the animals for peace and wisdom, from the ones who live in our homes, to the wild ones whose lives we affect every day by our actions (or lack of).
Do you know the beautiful piece from The Outermost House by Henry Beston that’s the title of this post? Here it is:
“We need another and a wiser and perhaps a more mystical concept of animals. Remote from universal nature and living by complicated artifice, man in civilization surveys the creature through the glass of his knowledge and sees thereby a feather magnified and the whole image in distortion. We patronize them for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate for having taken form so far below ourselves. And therein do we err. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours, they move finished and complete, gifted with the extension of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings: they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth.”
For twenty five years, I ended the university class I taught (The Biology and Philosophy of Human/Animal Relationships) by reading this paragraph. Reading it makes my heart swell, even though I practically have it memorized. Here are the last lines again. Read them again and again and again.
“They are not brethren, they are not underlings: they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth.”
What an eloquent way to remind us of our proper place in the world, and of the responsibility imposed by our unique combination of power, weakness and vulnerability. Another wonderful source of inspiration about animal life is the Facebook page of Frans de Waal, a friend and colleague who eloquently advocates for giving animals the respect that they deserve.
And you? Favorite quotes about animals and our relationship with them? Resources that celebrate animals with respect and insight? I look forward to hearing from you. (And am sending out gratitude to all who wrote supportive comments in the last few weeks. I am so grateful.)
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: Ah, lovely cool, fall weather. It’s especially welcome after an unseasonably hot and humid week. (Does the concept of “unseasonal” mean anything anymore?) Many of us love fall as much as any other season, no doubt in part because of the bittersweet knowledge that the Great, Long, Black, Brown and White Season is coming soon. It’s color that I miss as much as anything in winter–that and the light. So I’m soaking it up now.
I’m also loving that we live a few miles away from a gathering place for Sandhill Cranes who are busy feeding up for their fall migration. They spend the summer here mated up in pairs, raising their young, and then meet up in autumn to feed and ready themselves for the flight down south. Here are a few that we got to enjoy this weekend. Such gorgeous birds!
I’ve always been a lover of mammals and birds, but this summer I seem to have fallen in love with amphibians. Besides the tree frogs I’ve written about, I finally got a photo of Teresa the Toad. Sometimes she disappears for days and I worry that she’s met an untimely end, but then she’ll show up. This weekend she surprised me by tucking herself into a volunteer petunia that grew between the cracks of our front steps. (Along with the world’s worst weed, chickweed. Sigh.)
Best of all is that Maggie is now back to full power, and is allowed to work sheep again. Willie might not be pleased that he has to share sheep chores with Maggie, but no doubt he’s happy that they can play tug again.
Tootsie only has one thing to say: “I thought the cat wasn’t allowed in the house?”
Andy says
Tootsie seemed to have misplaced her high-drama eyebrows. Are you sure she isn’t asking you to find them for her? 😉
I love the quote. Cecil is my family, but I know I have no rights to him, not really. Responsibilities, yes, but his place in my life is sheer luck. I’m just glad my love seems to resonate with him.
In that spirit, I didn’t prevent any counter surfing this evening. I just offered Cecil a little frontal lobe-themed advice and made sure he didn’t break anything.
Winifred says
I am happy to support your criticisms of the Monks’ new book. I’m currently reading “Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire” and the author posits that this country was founded on a set of false beliefs (gold in Virginia and New England) which eventually brought us to a place where people believe whatever they like as fact, whether or not it’s supported by any evidence. So the fact that many studies have shown that aversive training methods don’t work as well as positive-based ones and can actually damage a dog’s relationship with it’s human, doesn’t mean people still don’t cling to their old beliefs. “Fantasyland” puts a *lot* in perspective about the US of A. Anyway, thanks for all you do for animals and people. You are always an inspiration.
Carol Skalky says
Beautiful excerpt from H. Breston. Thank you for such an inspiring start to my day!
Sue Leitch says
Thanks for this reminder of how grateful we should be to enjoy our lives with animals in them. I am often in awe of how they allow us to be with them and even seek our company. For me an author who always honours animals is Jane Goodall and David Attenbrough I feel has made a real impact on how we look at the natural world. An early influence on me looking at animals differently was also reading the books of Gerald Durrell. Thanks for your posts I always enjoy reading them.
lak says
It seems by the tone of your writing that you were surprised by the comments you received after you posted a review of a book. Your writing tone seems “down or apprehensive”. I have not read the book, but in following your blog I have come to find you as somewhat of an expert in dealing with canine behavior, and you obviously have a wealth of knowledge, that I benefit from when I follow your blog. Your opinion is your opinion! If you honestly reviewed the book and believe the information regarding training is outdated or whatever, then stand by your comments. They did not seem to me to be a personal attack, just a different view of how to interact/train canines. And frankly, I believe after following your blog that your opinion means a lot! So please don’t feel bad, or off balance, or whatever by the comments other have made; many people appreciate an honest review. Thank you for an excellent, informative, and beautiful blog.
Meredith Lunn says
One of my favorite quotes comes from neuroscientist Dr Jaak Panksepp that I heard when I watched his Science of Emotion Ted Talk in 2014. It was my introduction to his life’s work. My perspective on animal behavior and emotions has been forever changed.
” We are all brothers and sisters under the skin with all the other animals which provides us with a special responsibility for how we treat them in this world of ours.”
Wren Ingram says
Thank you again for another wonderful start to the day! This is a fantastic quote that I fully understand and agree with as I’ve worked with all kinds of animals my entire life and they ALL are “other nations”. The quote that I’ve used a lot in the past 10 or so years is from Madame de Stael (19th century woman reportedly despised by Bonaparte) “The more I see of men the more I like dogs”. I don’t use it as a gender-specific quote, I use it as a “I am very frustrated with general humanity” idea! I have been rescuing all kinds of dogs my whole life and have been volunteering with the Cane Corso Rescue organization for many years and what people are doing to ‘their animals’ is getting worse and worse- my heart gets repeatedly broken yet I keep going as the time I spend with my “nations” continues to heal me. And thank you for the great photo of Theresa the Toad- that made me smile because I really like amphibians, too 🙂
Gayle Watson says
Love your quotes, sadly nothing to add. Except about Teresa. I was teased all summer by a pair of her relatives. The one on the back deck who worshiped, and exhausted my solar night lights. She would move, the light would light and the bugs would come. She has not shown her very plump face for a while now but I did discover she was the reason for the mysterious gaps in my little eavestrough herb gardens…. there she hid when eating was just too much!! Her cousin was at the other door opening onto one of the dog yards. She was hugged up against one of the three thresholds here, nightly. Causing potential ankle twists as we did a last second dance to avoid stepping on her. Used a poop scoop to carry her out to the garden, again, out past the workshop, to the other garden,. . . . Apparently they have a territory. Both now disappeared looking for winter comforts I guess. Hope to be mildly annoyed at them again next summer.
Dorte Nielsen says
The Norwegian veterinarian Bergljot Børresen (born 19360) Since she received the Rachel Carson award in 1993, she has worked in the Norwegian Committee for Xenotransplantation and has released 7 books on the mental equipment people share with other animals, and the extensive human / animal interaction that has shaped the world’s cultural and environmental fate through 10,000 years.
“Den ensomme apen – instinkt på avveie” (1999) has a specific relevance for this topic.
Unfortunately I do not think it is translated into English, but the title means:
“The lonely monkey – the instinct witch got lost”
Dorte Nielsen says
Humans patronising animals is instituted already in Genesis 2 vers 26: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Cited from King James’ bible. Børresen’s point is that this text was created in a time where humans had become shepards, and in this profession man has to be able to suppress his empathy with the animal to be able to kill it although the animal used to be his friend. This is where the instinct of man starts to go wild. In our holy Tex’s it is written that it is our privilege to reign over animals. We do no longer have to ASK to be allowed to kill it or treat it as we please. From those days we concider it to be our birth right as humans to exploit the animals 😢
The French 17th century philosopher, René Descartes, didn’t make it any better by arguing that animals didn’t have a soul and couldn’t feel pain 😡
Manuela Connatser says
I love the quote from Franz from assisi. The animals stay with you in the storm humans not even in the rain .
Jill says
…and we look forward to the return of the sandhill cranes in SW Florida along with all the other migrating birds.
Barbara says
Fifty years ago I visited the zoo in San Diego. The chimpanzees were in a grotto while we were very literally looking down on them. The chimpanzees threw feces at us. I remember at the time thinking “This is so wrong.”
andrea thalasinos says
I’ve enjoyed Beyond Words, Carl Safina and also Zoopolis, a philosophical exploration into the lives of animals and how we can share the same planet, by Donaldson and Kymlika, two Canadian philosophers from Ontario, CA. The latter made me think and feel deeply into questions of existence. Highly recommended. Zoopolis is a complex read but so well worth it if you care about animals in all walks of life.
rita penner says
There’s a colour that must be added to the list of “Black, Brown and White Season”. That is blue. Watch for it at the fading of the day once the snow comes. It’s one of my favourite things about winter and once you notice it, it may become yours too.
Jenn says
So many quotes from the novel Black Beauty come to mind. This is one of my favorites:
“My doctrine is this, that if we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt.”
Gentleman, Page 140
Carole Orr says
Thank you for this deeply wise quote from Henry Beston.
You invited us to submit a quote about the animal-human relationship. This is mine:
To travel in the company of animals is to walk with angels, guides, guardians, jesters, shadows and mirrors.’ … Suzanne Clothier
Julie H. says
Yes! A long time ago I made up this quote, in beautiful type, to put on a tee shirt. Never did, but you’ve inspired me to do it now.
“For the animal shall not be measured by
man . . . they move finished and complete . . .
living by voices we shall never hear. They are
not brethren, they are not underlings: they are
OTHER NATIONS,
caught with ourselves in the net of life and time,
fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of
the earth.” — Henry Beston
Peggy Lee says
“Humans aren’t the only species on earth, we just act like it.”
and
I Go Among Trees
by Wendell Berry
I go among trees and sit still.
All my stirring becomes quiet
around me like circles on water.
My tasks lie in their places
where I left them, asleep like cattle.
Then what is afraid of me comes
and lives a while in my sight.
What it fears in me leaves me,
and the fear of me leaves it.
It sings, and I hear its song.
Then what I am afraid of comes.
I live for a while in its sight.
What I fear in it leaves it,
and the fear of it leaves me.
It sings, and I hear its song.
After days of labor,
mute in my consternations,
I hear my song at last,
and I sing it. As we sing,
the day turns, the trees move.
Diane Mattson says
The Beston quote is beautiful and true. Thanks for sharing it. Don’t have a particular quote, but “The Ancestors Tale” by Richard Dawkins is a fascinating journey backwards in evolution, and an amazing reminder that all life is related. Every living thing can trace its ancestors back to the very first living organism. We are related to fish and cauliflower and green algae. Maybe if more people took this to heart we would have a kinder world.
Loved your pictures. In the last place we lived, a single sand hill crane would arrive in the village every autumn. Would hang around for a few days before departing.
Alice R. says
I have loved frogs since I was a child when they were favored playmates. I miss the days when a child could scoop up frog eggs, hatch them to small frogs with a little tail and release them back where they were found. I worry about frogs in today’s chemical world. Thank you for the lovely photos. So glad to hear Maggie is back and that you are listening to yourself. We should all be so intelligent.
Diane says
Love the Henry Beston quote—and how ironic that that quote is used at the end of the Monks book The Art of Raising a Puppy. I so hope that you can converse with the monks—what an interesting discussion that would be!
Joy Waddington says
Yes wonderful Beston quote. This is one I love, Mojave Dan quoted in ‘A Kinship With All Life’ by J Allen Boone
“There’s facts about dogs”, he said, “and there’s opinions about them. The dogs have the facts and the humans have the opinions. If you want facts about a dog always get them straight from the dog. If you want opinions, get them from the human.”
Brilliant!
Maggie Moss says
Favourite Quote
In the glance of the speachless animal there is a discourse that only the soul of the wise can really understand
Indian Proberb
from Maggie.
Shema Basenji says her favorite is ”A basenji does not conform to the typical
behaviour expected by most dog owners” Yodel * yodel*Yipi Yip
Terri says
Saw this years ago while traveling ou West and wrote it down as it fits with my feelings related to the relationship I have always felt with dogs:
American Indian Legend-
“In ancient times, when man and animals communicated as equals , a crack in the Earth erupted.
Man was on one side and the animals were on the other.The crevice grew wider and wider separating them and just before it grew too large to traverse, the dog alone jumped over the chasm to stay with man.”
Equals!
CJ says
What a beautiful quote! Thank you so much for sharing… And reading through the comments, (with regards to your recent review), I hope you take what Winifred and Lak have said to heart. I admire and trust you- your books and words of wisdom have helped me & my dogs on several occasions. Your blog has made my day on many occasions- I am deeply grateful for all that you have done, and continue to do, for dogs & their humans.
Fran Berry says
Beautiful quotes, everyone!
I’ve always liked the lyrics to the song, Bless the Beasts and the Children.
Bless the beasts and the children
For in this world they have no voice
They have no choice
Bless the beasts and the children
For the world can never be
The world they see
Light their way
When the darkness surrounds them
Give them love
Let it shine all around them
Bless the beasts and the children
Give them shelter from the storm
Keep them safe
Keep them warm
Mireille says
Thank you for a lovely quote!
I have no quotes to share but pictures! Frans Lanting published a book callec Eye to Eye. His photographs are animal portraits, and I quote him ; ‘But what my eyes seek in these encounters is not just the beauty traditionally revered by wildlife photographers,” he writes. “The perfection I seek in my photographic compositions is a means to show the strength and dignity of animals in nature.”
https://goo.gl/images/jJ439e Is an example
Chris from Boise says
Henry Beston’s words cannot be improved upon. Thank you Trisha for sharing them with all of us.
I love also this poem by Robert Frost:
Dust of Snow
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.
Aurora says
I am an anxious person, mostly about other people and their judgements. It’s not rational, but it is powerful, and has put a lot of sad and unnecessary limits on my life so far. I try not to let that spill over onto Spring, as she lives her life mostly within the frame of mine. It can be hard sometimes, just reading about the level of control that some people think they should have over their dogs, sometimes for safety, sometimes just for their own sense of dominance. We all have to draw our own lines and some judgement is inevitable and appropriate, but it can weigh more heavily on me than it should, even when it was never directed at me in the first place.
I can have some sympathy for the reactive humans who took issue with your very measured criticism of something they believe in. I get that needlessly controlling, force-and-status-based behavior feels necessary to some people and making them less normative and socially acceptable threatens their own feeling of social safety. That’s sad, but it doesn’t make that kind of behavior alright. I haven’t looked more deeply than your recent blog posts to see exactly what kind of reaction you’ve been getting, but it’s clearly the kind of thing that hurts, even if you don’t agree with any of its premises, even if you don’t believe those people have any right to hurt you. They don’t of course, but that only helps so far. Thank you for doing what you do anyway. Reading your work helps me feel better about our ability as humans to apply kindness, thoughtfulness, and sense to our relationships, with each other and with other animals. It gives me tools and confidence to find and build better relationships with my dog, and also with other people and with myself. It was a great privilege to get to meet you on your book tour in March, and a far greater privilege to get to read and learn from your work.
It is possible that that might be enough slightly belated gushing. As for quotes, which was where I was going before I derailed myself, I read Mary Oliver’s Dog Songs at a moment when I was feeling more stressed than I really realized about having a dog and making decisions in public, about what responsibility is and how it relates to freedom. I came to the lines
“You may not agree, you may not care, but
If you are holding this book in your hands you should know that of all
the sights I love in this world–and there are plenty–very near
the top of the list is this one: dogs without leashes.”
And I quite surprised myself by tearing up a little. We all have to make our own choices about safety and manners and how to balance them in the lives we are responsible for, but we can and should value kindness, and freedom, and self-actualization (which for my dog is pretty much a synonym for running through landscape), love, and joy. You help me remember that and you’ve given me a lot of tools to make those values more practically compatible.
LisaW says
I’m sorry you are reeling from the Monk’s maelstrom. You put something out there that came from a place of honesty, experience, and wisdom. That’s all you can do. I think it was Pema Chodron who advised (paraphrasing here), “Let things come in and go out — in and out. Don’t let them stay, don’t let them fill you up.”
I loved thinking about favorite quotes relating to animals. This one seems most apropos:
“Maybe it’s animalness that will make the world right again: the wisdom of elephants, the enthusiasm of canines, the grace of snakes, the mildness of anteaters. Perhaps being human needs some diluting.” ― Carol Emshwiller
Alice R. says
Thank you, everyone for your wonderful moving quotes. You have enriched me.
Elizabeth says
My favourite quote of all isn’t directly on point, but it does include a dog 😄:
Things are such, that someone lifting a cup,
or watching the rain, petting a dog,
or singing, just singing – could be doing as
much for this universe as anyone.
– Rumi
Trisha says
I’m taking a bit of a break this week, but am cherishing the quotes you are sending. I am going to read the one from Rumi over and over and over. I often write in my journal about what I’m grateful for, and the many thoughtful, inspiring and insightful comments on this blog are often on that list. I feel so lucky.
Sandy says
I still love this quote
“He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog.
You are his life, his love, his leader.
He will be yours, faithful and true to the last beat of his heart.
You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.”
Author Unknown.
Helen says
I’m sorry your having such a hard time, when I was a new dog parent and I was looking for advise, your books and blog were a wonderful source of science based behaviour and positive trainging. Thank you for all you’ve taught me. I had to include my favourite quote which is
” Some people talk to animals, not many listen though, that is the problem. ” by A. A. Milne the creator of Winnie the Poo . Sometimes the wisest advise is what we give to small children
Kimberly Esteran says
I love all the quotes shared and I have learned so much from you. Purchased numerous books of yours and have appreciated your thoughts both in print and on this blog. The Mary Oliver one is a favorite, as is Rumi. So here is one more from anonymous:
It came to me
that every time
I lose a dog
they take a piece
of my heart with them,
and every new dog
who comes into my life
gifts me with a piece
of their heart.
If I live long enough
all the components
of my heart
will be dog, and
I will become
as generous and
loving as they are.
Thanks for everything.
HFR says
I’m not very quotable, but this is my own:
God created the world and saw its miseries, its grief, its wars, its tensions, its tragedies and realized that it was too much. So he created the dog and said “Here, this will help.”
Barb Stanek says
I don’t have a quote about animals, but I do have a testimonial.
My dogs, cats, and horse have taught me to be still and share life. They have held my hand in the hard times, joyfully celebrated the good times, and joined me in life’s journey, one step at a time. I would be lost without them.
Barb Stanek says
Two other thoughts. Laughing out loud with Tootsie! Well, at least I’m laughing!
Trish, try not to let people who don’t know you undermine the beauty that your animals know as you. The right argument may not come to us when we want it. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. There are and will always be nay-sayers. That doesn’t diminish you and your good work one little bit.
Maureen Finn says
The Henry Beston passage always makes my heart swell as well, and, as I get older, a little lump-in-the-throat as well. We owe them so much. I can barely get through a program about how dogs share our lives (thinking some of PBS’s Nature episodes) without tearing up (the work of service dogs, avalanche dogs, etc., or dogs being trained by inmates, and of course the dogs teaching these men and women – and all of us – so much more… )
As the connection grows ever deeper over the years I am fortunate to spend with these magnificent creatures, the separation becomes less and less. One of my favorite quotes (complete with artwork!) is “Gap” by Brian Andreas: “The only thing that separates me from the animals is a lot of words. So when I’m not talking much, the gap closes really quick.”
Natalie says
The plant version of that excerpt would be “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
Brenda Stallman says
Love the quote! Pictures are great,too- everyone should have a pet toad at least once in their
lifetime!!Am anxiously waiting for the frustration tolerance piece!! Tried to get a question in
on that very topic on your book tour.
Poor Tootsie-she does seem alarmed!!
Thanks for all you do for the dogs- much to be learned in all your writings!
B- Ohio
Jenny H says
My favourite ‘animal’ books??
Gerald Durrell’s “My Family and Other Animals”.
Konrad Lorenz’ “The Year of the Greylag Goose”.
(I don’t suppose The Wind in the Willows” counts??)
(Or All of the Footrot Flats books??)
And of course any number of Children’s books — too numerous to mention
Trisha says
The Wind in the Willows always counts! As does WInnie the Pooh.
Mar DT says
I stumbled upon your blog as I am doing research on humans and animals communication. It truly is amazing to be with animals and just the outdoor world. I hope I can read a blog of yours on cats too!
Juan Escondido says
I find this quote heart-stopping in both its beauty and its truth. Beston writes beautifully in general, but as an expression of one of my and many other people’s core philosophies, this passage is unparalleled in its precise loveliness.