The Little Things - Part 1
March 18, 2025
The Little Things Part 1
You are invited to this week's Daily Reflections on "The Little Things."
All Creatures Great and Small, the acclaimed book by Alfred Wright, (James Herriot) is now a PBS television series. Set in the Yorkshire Dales of Northeast England, it is about a country veterinarian and his family from the 1930s to the 1950s. The heart of this story is how the veterinarian's practice of treating all kinds of animals brings him and his family closer to each other and to the people in the area. But more than that, it is about values, community, family, and the dignity of all living things. Over 80 million copies of this amazing story have been sold worldwide.
Why would so many people be attracted to a story about empathy, strong values, and the beauty of our connection to animals? Because the human heart longs for what is real and sustaining. In short, we long for love, and when we nurture each other and the earth's creatures, whether great or small, we feel that love. The felt sense of love puts us in direct contact with the love from which we came, our Holy Origin.
Let’s face it, our world is experiencing a shift in how we relate to each other. The shift embodies many wonderful things, such as advances in communication through the digital world and advances in medicine. Yet, in many ways, the world is becoming a place where many live in isolation, loneliness, and separation. Disconnected from one another, we tend to live in silos of our own making, listening to only those things which feed our biases, and being with those who confirm our thoughts and behavior. The silo mentality is also becoming a way of life in many collectives and nations. This leads to “othering” which may lead to more isolation.
But the human spirit wants to feel part of something bigger than itself because, in reality, we are part of something larger. Defending ourselves against the huge demands and stressors of this world often disconnects us from our true nature, and we yearn for those meaningful connections again. What drives us back toward our true nature? It's our essence, our divine self, our soul child who needs touch, words of affirmation, holding, and sacred kinship. After all, we are siblings of a divine parent, a divine intelligence whose core energy is love. Animals represent the network of love, of which we are a part, and many find their way into our hearts and homes as essential sources of love.
In this new world where separation, criminality, rudeness, and selfishness are becoming a fascination and, in some cases, admired, there is a counter-reaction among those who need connection, inclusion, and reverence, rather than being left out, treated cruelly, or dismissed. Animals teach us to include, nurture, and think of others. Their love is unconditional. That may be just a little thing, but it is huge.
Spiritual practice and self-inquiry: I invite you to read the following poem by former ICB student Ellen Gabardi and imagine the soul of the person she describes. How might that person be like you?
Intention in a Pocket
He walks slowly
in the park
each and every day —
his ancient shoulders stooped
his caving arches plodding
his knees and hips rigid
the fluffs atop his head like those of a baby bird.
He walks slowly
in the park
each and every day —
his pocket filled with treats
treats he keeps in a jar by his back door
treats for pups in his park.
I've had six boxers, he says
from his dry, cracked lips
as he reaches to pet our boxer pup's velvet head.
The moistness of his eyes
speaks more.
He walks slowly
in the park
each and every day —
his pocket filled with treats
treats he keeps in a jar by his back door
treats for pups in his park.
And when he lays his head
on his pillow each night
the momentary friends he made
and the momentary joys he gave
rock him into a sweet and satisfying sleep.
By: Ellen Gabardi: ellengabardi@substack.com
