One Big Family

When I’ve had my fill of murder-mysteries, foreign intrigue dramas, and political parodies, I watch elephants. You might try it sometime. I’ve learned a lot about life from watching and learning about these magnificent creatures. Have a look at an ongoing UTube series called The Herd, an info-inspirational series about African elephants abandoned or orphaned as infants and now cared for in an elephant rescue community. These huge, lumbering giants play like children; they tussle and throw dirt with their long trunks, love swimming in large ponds. They form a community based on respect, sharing, and fierce loyalty. When there appears to be an emergency or danger as they roam in the bush, without any apparent signal, the whole herd rushes together, side to side, back to back, usually in a large circle
arrangement so they can defend each other. When a newly born elephant is introduced into the herd, one of the female adults becomes the baby’s new mother, tenderly caring, escorting, and protecting the little one. When a member of the herd wanders off in search of food and forgets to check out with the larger group, the whole herd assembles and goes out in search of the prodigal. They trumpet special sounds that the wanderer will recognize and they show definite relief when the lost one comes home.
Elephants grieve, too. When an old elephant dies, all the rest of the herd assembles around the corpse and make heart-breaking guttural sounds, much like our crying.

You and I share this beautiful garden with so many spectacular friends and neighbors. The more we get to know them, the better we know ourselves. For they teach us about life from their ancient perspectives.
In your prayers, be sure to thank God for the gift of this marvelous world and all our sisters and brothers who inhabit it with us. When Jesus posed the question: “And who is my neighbor?” I like to think that he meant more than human beings. Even elephants.