I have a friend named Kimberly, she lives in Minnesota, she is a healer and an animal communicator, we spoke this morning, and she told me she came to Red last night and talked to him. She said she had never communicated with an animal like him, she was in tears feeling the power of his empathy and compassion.

She told me that Red is not finished with his work, that he came here to show me and others the depths of compassion, he has cracked open my heart and helped me see that hate is a sickness, and that we all suffer.   He has helped me to open up and to see the power of doing good.

Hate and anger and cruelty are not in his body or soul, he does not see or recognize either, and this is something I am learning from him. I know from people’s response to him that he has a special gift, he can touch the souls of people in ways I have not seen before.

In our time, and in our world, we will all confront hatred and anger and fear, and our test as human beings is how to respond with grace and feeling, rather than rage and resentment. Isn’t this what dogs do, what Red does, every day?

Kimberly was direct, she told me that my challenge now was to recognize Red’s exhaustion and discomfort, and to give  him the time he needs to rest and to heal.

There was a time in my life when I would not have been able to hear this, I was too broken myself,  but I know Kimberly and trust her, and she simply went to the heart of it with me and with Red. What she said makes sense to me, and she grasps my feelings as clearly as she grasps his. Some people can see things the rest of us can not, I think she is one of them.

Red touches people in a way I have not seen other dogs or people touch human  beings.

He has no judgment, is open to everyone. In a sometimes hateful world, we are called up to summon our own empathy and compassion, both are the hallmarks of humanity. While others choose to argue, I resolve to do good, and keep on doing good. This is grounding me, showing me a deeper and richer way to live in the world.

Red told Kimberly he still feels miserable, and that he needs to sleep. She said I was correct to bring him briefly out to the sheep, to restore his focus and dignity get his body working properly again. She called it lying on the land, I love that expression.

Red has cracked open my heart, because he has done so much for me, and meant so much to me. He is my soul dog and companion in life. He will die, as all living things will die, and I will deal with it and move on.

But his illness made me see what he has meant, why he has come, and how much more work there is for us to do.

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Deep breath all around today, I think. Red is still not eating, and he has a fever, and he is miserable, I think. But there are no growths and tumors in his body, so we are moving forward. We didn’t learn yet what he has, but we did learn what he doesn’t have. More results coming in tomorrow, and we will go from there

Everybody’s best guess is an infectious disease, perhaps related to Lyme, which is getting worse all around the country. I imagine whatever else comes up is treatable. I appreciated this week just how much Red means to me and to other people, something that is sometimes too close for me to see.

Somehow, Red signaled to me that he was not ready to leave this world, and somehow, I heard it. I was listening only to the vet, not to him or to myself. Kimberly said she sensed the same thing, and I found Kimberly to be clear and credible and grounded.

Modern medicine distrusts fevers and is eager to knock them out with powerful medications, but if the fever is not too high, it may well be the body working hard to heal itself. This is something of a new way to look at fevers, and I am thinking about it. Patience is not my strong suit, and Red, I am sure,  knows it. He will do anything I ask, but I need to be careful about what I ask, and for a good while, perhaps even a month or more.

Red will live, and he will heal. But he is so tired, I can see it, and i have to respect it as well.

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So animals like dogs are teaching me again, as they have before. A dog has entered my life once more, and marked a passage and challenged me to grow and evolve and be open to the glory of the world and of all the rich tapestry of being human.

We can feel things no other animal feels, and that is  blessing and a curse.

Another magical helper with a tail is here, come to walk with me on the hero journey. Another angel  to remind me that the greatest sources of our suffering are the lies we tell ourselves. Another good reason to tell the truth.

So when Red is well, he and I will continue our journey together, and until then, I will continue it on my own. It’s good to know backup is on the way